I want to try my hand at retextures for a_helmet_09 (and the others). I don't care to much for the it's look and I want to try new colors and textures.

I've been looking thru the texture packs but cannot seem to find it. Can anyone provide directions to it?

Also, any recommendations to any easy to follow threads that would be closely related to what I am doing would be cool. There is a lot of stuff to look thru on here and I often find myself stopping and reading things that are not related to what I started looking for... anyway. All help is appreciated.

You can use kotor tool to find textures for everything, just look under ERF's if i'm not mistaken. You should look at the skinning tutorials by the modders here they really help, looking forward to your skins!

Your starting point is KOTORTool. The resref a_helmet_09 is the template. So browse templates.bif and find a_helmet_09.uti and double click on it. This will open KT's item editor. You'll see the info that shows up in game like the description, the item's stats/effects, plus the all important model variation number (10 in this case) and base item type (mask in this case).

Now the resref name doesn't always match the model and texture names, so the next port of call is to browse the 2da.bif and double click on baseitems.2da. This lays out all the item types in the game. The UTI said the base item was a mask, so peruse the label column until you find it listed (row 44). You'll see the itemclass is i_mask and the defaultmodel is i_mask_001.

Now to find the model, browse either items.bif (K1) or models.bif (TSL) and under Aurora Model find a listing for items starting with i_mask. You'll see a bunch. The modelvariation specified in the UTI was 10, so i_mask_010.mdl is the one you want. Double click on it and KT will extract an ASCII version of the model along with the texture to a folder of your choice (the default is a sub-folder of the KT install directory as I recall). Go to that directory and you'll find i_mask_010-ascii.mdl and i_neuralband2.tga.

Got it. Thank you for the tutorial. Darth Parametric, if you keep replying to my posts, I will have to cut you a paycheck ;)
Now, is there a way to create a tranparency on the .tga? Or would that require something extra or different altogether? I was thinking of something along the lines of a_helmet_30. Only for the whole face, not just the eyes...

After this project I want to extract an emitter to create my own. I think there should be one with the keen ability. However, it does not use a model, just icons. I cannot apply this method, at least not as is, I wouldn't think, I try it to see. If not, I am gonna hit the threads tomorrow and look for the answer... if I don't find it, I'll ask back here for details.

Thanks for the help Darth Parametric.

The only way to create transparency is with an alpha channel. I assume you want to make a some sort of semi-transparent visor?

Not sure what you mean by emitter. The only emitters I am aware of are used for particle effects.

The only way to create transparency is with an alpha channel. I assume you want to make a some sort of semi-transparent visor?

Yes. A semi-transparent face shield is what I wanted, but dang, i_mask_010.tga and its model are a tough nut. Its got some wierd wrapping effect that I was playing with... I got ticked so I'm on-line for a break. But, I think I'm getting close to something I like.
So, aplha channel, its been 3-1/2 years since I did ANY of this stuff in Photoshop, and well, I ain't got Photoshop now! Heck, I haven't even scatched 1/4 of what these programs do (PhotoPro6.0 & Paint.NET). I was thinking of giving Gimp a try, since you stated to was a viable FREE alternative to Photoshop in my other thread.

Not sure what you mean by emitter. The only emitters I am aware of are used for particle effects.

My apologies, I was refering to creating a keen lightsaber emitter as none exist in TSL. I should have typed more clearly.

I was thinking of giving Gimp a try, since you stated to was a viable FREE alternative to Photoshop in my other thread.I've only ever used Gimp and Paint.NET briefly. Paint has a much nicer interface, but a quick Google search would suggest that you'll need to use Gimp if you want to play around with channel editing without pulling your hair out.

My apologies, I was refering to creating a keen lightsaber emitter as none exist in TSL. I should have typed more clearly.Ah. To do that you just need to edit the appropriate UTI file (u_l_emit_xx.uti). Open it in KT and go to the Properties tab. Double clicking on the little arrow on the bottom left opens the properties editor where you add your new property Keen. If you want it to be a unique item you'll need to use a unique ModelVariation number and resref. Otherwise just save it out to the Override folder as a replacement for one of the originals.

Ah. To do that you just need to edit the appropriate UTI file (u_l_emit_xx.uti). Open it in KT and go to the Properties tab. Double clicking on the little arrow on the bottom left opens the properties editor where you add your new property Keen.... Otherwise just save it out to the Override folder as a replacement for one of the originals.

I had edited the .uti already, but I am going to try creating a unique emitter, with new icons. We'll see. This all still comes off as Greek. I learn easier seeing things, or parts of things more then reading about it.

I did finish the 1st re-texture for the helmet. I am going to do one more then I will see which is preferred. The helmet was friends suggestion and I thought it was a valid one. If I can get the screenshots, I'll try to put them up on here for some reactions, hopefully by late Wednesday at the absolute latest.

As for pulling my hair out... there's not much left to pull (see portrait) :xp: oops, can't see the receding hair!

When I went into to add EnableScreenShot=1, I found some things were missing. Went I save it, I get: Cannot create the C:\Program Files\LucasArts\SWKotOR2\swkotor2.ini file. Make sure the path and file name are correct.

This is what I have in the ini:

[Display Options]
FullScreen=1
Disable Movies=0
Disable Intro Movies=0
Sort Modules=1
Width=640
Height=480
BitsPerPixels=32
RefreshRate=60

[Sound Options]
Sound Init=1
Disable Sound=0

[Graphics Options]
EnableHardwareMouse=1
FullScreen=0

[Game Options]
TooltipDelay Sec=

[config]
firstrun=0

Umm... I'm sure there are things missing above. And I'm not sure why. So, anyone have an idea? How to get SShots... do I need to get the missing info back?

Your INI file will be set to read-only, which is why it isn't letting you save. Right click on it and choose Properties, then under Attributes untick read-only.

Yes, I reinstalled and never set it again. :o ...umm, thank you. :o

Well, nvm. It was already unchecked. So, that's not it. Anymore ideas?

Using Vista? From what I have seen of it, it seems with the overzealous security that you have to manually specify admin rights for everything in order to make changes.

Using Vista?

*FDHM hangs head and releases a small wimper* Yes.

From what I have seen of it, it seems with the overzealous security that you have to manually specify admin rights for everything in order to make changes.

*FDHM, head still hanging* I know.

I toyed with it for almost an hour before going to work and still can't figure it out.

14 years ago(give or take), I knew my way around a computer very well. Windows 3.1 thru 3.11, I had it master (who didn't). And even 6 years ago, I learned alot and knew alot. Windows 2000 and XP, they couldn't fool me.

Now days, I don't know anything. Heck, I am having a hard enough time learning how to do mods that others have know how to do for 3+ years (more in some cases). And that is with instruction from the modders! *sigh*

It is all very frustrating. I just want to take a screen shot. I mean, my MMO takes screen shots. WHY, OH GOD, WHY can't I get TSL to output a screen shot on Vista.

I started looking for alternate methods, background programs for screen shots. I am not familiar with any, but FRAPS (I believe, without checking) is what I might need. Or, something comparable. So, I will overcome. But I don't know when... probably when everone else is on Windows 2020...

Anyway, DP, thanks for keeping tabs on me.

I thought TSL took screenshots out of the box without changing the INI file anyway.

I can't think of any reason you wouldn't be able to save it other than it being read-only and Vista's paranoia. Tried copying it to another folder and editing it? Using Wordpad instead of Notepad (or vice versa)?

If you can't enable screeies in the .ini, just play the game, press Print Screen, open Paint or something and paste it in.

I thought the screenshots were autosaved. This was assumed, and you know that just makes an a$$ outta u and me. I will have to try pasting after prtscrn.

Going to work, will try in 7 hours...

I tried pasting into multiple image programs and nothing is there to paste. My Print Screen key works, I tested it in Guild Wars, saves my images in predetermined folder.

In TSL, when I press the prtscrn key, the game hesitates for a half second or so, as if something is happening. However, I cannot locate a screenshot anywhere, nor is there anything to paste... anywhere.

Oh, well. Worse things could happen. However, it would be nice to produce some screenshots...

Have you tried making a completely new INI btw? Edit your current INI then save it as a a plain text file, then delete the original and change the file extension.

Alternatively, ditch Vista and get a working OS. :p MS has the beta of Win7 available. Couldn't be any worse than Vista.

Did some hacker steal the identity of all the employeez at Microsoft? Did they think we would all understand their joke, the punchline of which is a single word, Vista? What in gods name were they thinking when they put Vista together? Microsoft Vista should be renamed: MicroHard "We want your money and don't care if you like it" package. I can think of some other names for them, but that is the ONLY one that would recieve any consideration from my name selections. END RANT

Well, I replaced the .ini with a duplicate of the .ini after I removed the original, using your .txt idea. So, in a few minutes, I am going in game to try it out. I have little faith that it will work. No offense to you DP.

Ditching Vista is NOT something I look foreward to, BUT, I would give me something to do while I'm off this week... so, will consider it for a day before taking action. However, I may very well do it.