I've done alot of reading on these forums and have yet to see a simple "how to do it" thread. I realize you can change one of the default models to what ever you want, but is there a way to add new models so they show up in the character screen...without using a default model or just having the ability to change into them by playermodel command. I have managed to get a tavion (old) skin to work in the game by using the playermodel tavion (after loading my tavion mod) and this replaces the tavion in the assets1. However I have been unable to import models like yoda darth vader, darth maul etc. No matter what I do. It would be nice if there was a way to add these custom models and select them by playermodel and have the ability to spawn them also.

Thank You

I have figured out how to do it. I will post the steps tomorrow or this weekend...

Great! Look forward to it!

If you're using the /playermodel command, I assume you're talking about SP mode.

As far as I can see, the playermodel command usually loads up an NPC entry, meaning you can only turn yourself into JK3 npcs and those JK2 npcs that were brought over but don;t appear in teh SP campaign. So in order to use an imported model you need to add in a new NPC entry that uses the model.

Note that however JK3 does not read .npc files that are not in a .pk3 archive, so you'll need to place the npc files in a .pk3 archive under the path /ext_data/npcs and place the archive in the /Gamedata/Base directory

The best way to create a new NPC entry is to base it on an existing NPC file. For example: Tavion's NPC file looks like this:

Tavion
{
playerModel tavion
rank commander
saber tavion
saberColor red
weapon WP_SABER
saberStyle 5
FP_HEAL 0
FP_LEVITATION 3
FP_SPEED 3
FP_PUSH 3
FP_PULL 2
FP_TELEPATHY 0
FP_GRIP 2
FP_LIGHTNING 2
FP_RAGE 2
FP_PROTECT 0
FP_ABSORB 0
FP_DRAIN 1
FP_SEE 1
FP_SABERTHROW 3
FP_SABER_DEFENSE 3
FP_SABER_OFFENSE 3
reactions 3
aim 3
move 5
aggression 3
evasion 4
intelligence 5
hfov 160
vfov 160
playerTeam TEAM_ENEMY
enemyTeam TEAM_PLAYER
// race human
class CLASS_TAVION
sex female
snd tavion
sndcombat tavion
sndjedi tavion
yawSpeed 120
walkSpeed 55
runSpeed 200
health 300
dismemberProbHead 0
dismemberProbArms 0
dismemberProbLegs 0
dismemberProbHands 0
dismemberProbWaist 0
}

Note to people unfamiliar with scripting: The "{" and "}" brackets are very important and should not be left out.

Now we make a new NPC called "Yoda" (assuming we are using the excellent Yoda Kinja Skin) we modify the file to look like this:

Yoda
{
playerModel yoda
rank commander
saber single_1
saberColor green
weapon WP_SABER
saberStyle 5
FP_HEAL 0
FP_LEVITATION 3
FP_SPEED 3
FP_PUSH 3
FP_PULL 2
FP_TELEPATHY 0
FP_GRIP 2
FP_LIGHTNING 2
FP_RAGE 2
FP_PROTECT 0
FP_ABSORB 0
FP_DRAIN 1
FP_SEE 1
FP_SABERTHROW 3
FP_SABER_DEFENSE 3
FP_SABER_OFFENSE 3
reactions 3
aim 3
move 5
aggression 3
evasion 4
intelligence 5
hfov 160
vfov 160
playerTeam TEAM_PLAYER
enemyTeam TEAM_ENEMY
// race human
class CLASS_TAVION
sex male
snd yoda
sndcombat yoda
sndjedi yoda
yawSpeed 120
walkSpeed 55
runSpeed 200
health 300
dismemberProbHead 0
dismemberProbArms 0
dismemberProbLegs 0
dismemberProbHands 0
dismemberProbWaist 0
scale 60
}

You can save the yoda file with whatever name you like as long as it has (a) the .npc extension, (b) is under the /ext_data/npcs path in a .pk3 archive, and (c) the archive is in your /Gamedata/Base directory

Changes made:

1) The NPC name (right above the "{") is what you type in after your playermodel command to change your appearance. You can only have one NPC of this name in the game, so if you make more than one NPC entry with the same name, the game will only read the first one. Avoid using names that are already used by NPCs in the SP mode. Also, you can spawn them in the SP game using the command "NPC spawn <NPCname>" and they'll assist or attack you depending on their playerteam and enemyteam entries.

2) playermodel tavion

changed to

playermodel yoda
This is the directory in /players/models under which your model is installed. Check the paths in the .pk3 if you downloaded one for your model.

3) saber tavion

changed to

saber base_1
This changes the saber model which the model wields (under the sabers.sab file or the .sab file for the saber in question). Note that tavion's saber only lets you fight in tavion's special blue stance. You can change this in game with the "saber" command.

4) saberColor Red

changed to

saberColor Green
This changes the default color for your saber. Also can be changed in game, using the "sabercolor" command

5) playerTeam TEAM_ENEMY
enemyTeam TEAM_PLAYER

changed to:

playerTeam TEAM_PLAYER
enemyTeam TEAM_ENEMY
Note that your playermodel in JK3 inherits the playerteam and enemyteam entries for the NPC you turn into. If you turn yourself into tavion, you'll be attacked by jedi and ignored by reborn. This can make the SP campaign rather difficult, especially if Kyle keeps trying to kill you.

6)
snd tavion
sndcombat tavion
sndjedi tavion

changed to:

snd yoda
sndcombat yoda
sndjedi yoda
You only change these if your model has sound files accompanying it. In this case, you indicate the directory under /sounds/chars to change it to. Check your model's .pk3 file for them. If your model lacks sound, it's usually best to delete these lines entirely, or assign sound from another NPC.

7) scale 60
This is just for Yoda and other models that are meant to be of a size divergent from the norm. I like yoda at 60 (60% of normal height) because even though he's actually shorter in the film, it's hard to see him with the default camera views if you make him any shorter. Desann's Height is 135, for example, making him tower over most PCs. If your PC is of normal height, don't enter this.

NOTES:
Your model entry is not saved. At the beginning of every map you'll revert to your orginal model. Also, your character will still retain the original model for cutscenes and the original voice during voiceovers.

Also, you will inherit the force powers of the model you become, so you could try setting them all to 3. ^_^

This method does not change your saber's length (for example if you want to play Yoda). To do that you have to make a new saber entry (in the sabers.sab file or in a new .sab file in the /ext_data/sabers directory) and equip it using the /saber command. There are plenty of texts already showing how to do this though.

EDIT: corrected silly error about files names. :P

Fo those looking for more information, I have posted a tutorial in the JA Discussion thread about this. Good information here jackhammer34! :)

Duh ..Of all the stupid things.........I did all of the things in the tutorial, but I made the path incorrect for the .npc file........shesh. Here's a thought in the cutscenes. If you want to play the same model the whole game maybe if you enter the player.npc file and change the playermodel "name" to the model you want to use, then load your Pk3 as a mod in the begininng. I just tried this with yoda and it worked sort off. Yoda was big in the cutscenes. I'm going to try the scale command in the player.npc

Well partial success yoda is the correct size in the cutscenes but when the next level loads its back to the player model