-= Gametoast.com =-

This is a bit of a lame question, but I can't figure it out or find anything that explains it. How do you texture stuff like buildings and cover? Do I need a msh viewer or modeling program to do this. If so, what would you recommend. Is there a way to do it in ZE?

what you need to do is find the tga file (the texture) and open it with gimp http://www.gimp.org/ then you can paint away!

In asset folders, the object data is stored in the odfs and reqs folders. To change the building skins (textures) go in the mshs folder and use an image manipulation program to do whatever it is you want with them. MS Paint does not do the job. Personally, I agree with orocket. GIMP is free and incredibly useful.

Where can I tell the objects which skin to use though. If I were to make a skin from scratch, how would I tell the object to use it?

If you use a model that is in the mod tools already, just call it the same name of the texture, for example if you use a texture that is called "abc_bld.tga" (or whatever you want to call it) and you use a model called "abc_bld.msh", this model reads the texture mentioned up there, then you start to make a new texture, from scratch, you call the new texture "abc_bld.tga" and then the model will read that texture

Quick warning though; Reskinning props causes them to show up funky in ZeroEditor.

I renamed the model to mach the skin I wanted and it still loaded the stock one. I don't understand.

Edit: I replaced the stock skin with mine and managed to get one side of the building re-skinned, but the name of the odf file and the name of the tga file are completely different. The renaming thing does not seem to be working for me or maybe I misunderstood, so if I were to make a completely new object, how could I give it a skin.

TGAs don't always have the same name as the MSHs that they apply to and vice versa. To find the correct TGA(s), open the MSH up with either Notepad or a hex editor and use the find/search function to search for .tga. That should give you the correct name(s).

Darth_Squoobus wrote:Quick warning though; Reskinning props causes them to show up funky in ZeroEditor.

I have never had this problem; you probably did something wrong.

Oh ok I will try that. What is the difference between .msh and .odf by the way? I do not think the building I want has a msh, but when I load up the .odf it lets me place it.

You should be placing the ODF in ZE. An ODF (Object Definition File) defines the properties of a MSH (the actual model).

I opened the odf and it mentioned a msh, but I can not find that msh anywhere. It has to be there or ZE would not know what model to use right?

It ought to be in your world's msh folder.

What I am saying is that the file "tat2_bldg_medium1.msh" is not in any of the folders in the tatoin assets, but it still loads the model in ZE. (I have the tatoin world assets in my map's worlds folder temporarily so if it is in the assets it should be in my map's worlds folder.) If I wanted to edit that msh I would not be able to cause I can't find it.

Edit: I found it. It was in the PC folder in the msh folder. I thank all of you for your help and patience.

Another quick warning; some objects have more that one skin. So to reskin the entire thing, you change all of the skins.

Alright thanks. I have run into another problem though. Changing all of the textures worked fine except for tat2_bldg_set01.tga This is the one with most of the tatoin doors on it. I edited this skin and saved it. I even edited the lowrez version which some of the models I want don't even call for, but ZE continues to load this stock skin even though it does not even exits in my worlds folder anymore. Has anyone else ever had a similar problem?

Edit: I apologize. I have once again neglected the pc folder within the msh folder. I think the problem is fully solved now. Thank you everyone.

AQT wrote:

Darth_Squoobus wrote:Quick warning though; Reskinning props causes them to show up funky in ZeroEditor.

I have never had this problem; you probably did something wrong.

Well, I took some tatooine buildings, opened them up in GIMP and darkened the textures, then when I put them in ZeroEditor they kept loading the texture of adjacent objects.

That can't be described as funky. It's just zeroeditor reading the previously loaded file. A clean munge solves it.