TrackMania Nations Modding

Show off your mods, get help on a mod, heck, even just have a good time downloading other folks mods. This forum is all about modding for any non-SWBF games.

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Darth_Z13
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TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Darth_Z13 »

I was taking a look through the TrackMania Nations folder the other day and I found that many of the files weren't compressed into one file format (ex: .lvl). All of the textures are .dds files inside .zip files.

So, for those amazing skinners out there, making a new custom skin in their own program is easier than the one ingame.

Making a Custom Car Skin


MAKE SURE TRACKMANIA NATIONS IS NOT RUNNING.

1. Navigate to your C:\Games\TrackMania Nations ESWC\GameData\Skins\Vehicles\StadiumCar folder.
Image

Adjust C:\Games to fit your computer.

2. Find a car skin. They're in .zip folders. I chose CAN (Canada).
Image

3. Make a copy of your chosen folder and rename it to something else. It MUST be three characters ONLY.
Image

4. Right click the .zip file. Choose properties. Uncheck 'Read Only'.
Image

5. Open the .zip in WinZIP/WinRAR etc. and extract Diffuse.dds and Icon.dds to a folder.
Image

6. Convert the .dds files to tga.

Please note:
MasterSaitek009 wrote:Got it!
Download DDS Converter 2, install and run it then go into option.
Under DDS you should see the box that says build mipmaps,
check that and then set the number below that box to 10(default for TM nations)
Click ok then start converting and skinning, I used GIMP and it worked fine. :)
7. Open your skin in your favourite image editing program.
Image

:P

8. Convert your .tga back to .dds

9. Put the .dds into your zip file.

10. Start up TrackMania Nations and choose your custom skin as your car. ;)

Thanks To:
t551- Mipmap information
MasterSaitek009- Finding a working converter
Last edited by Darth_Z13 on Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Taivyx »

So, um, legal?
Anything in the EULA preventing the editing of the software files without permission from Nadeo?

However, pretty cool!
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Hebes24 »

Great tutorial. Too bad you can't get the skin to work.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Darth_Z13 »

Taivyx wrote:So, um, legal?
Anything in the EULA preventing the editing of the software files without permission from Nadeo?
Uh-Oh. I didn't think of that. Checking now.

EDIT:
TrackMania Nations EULA wrote:It is not permitted:
- To modify TrackMania Nations ESWC or create any derived work,
- To decompile, reverse engineer or disassemble TrackMania Nations ESWC,
- To cheat by modifying files, using special tools and any other way.
Full EULA
Hidden/Spoiler:
LICENSE TO USE TRACKMANIA NATIONS ESWC

Please read this License carefully before installing the game ("TrackMania Nations ESWC").
This License is an agreement between you, the "User", and Nadeo and/or its licensors and/or its beneficiaries ("Nadeo"), which grants the User the non-exclusive and non-transferable right to use TrackMania Nations ESWC.
By installing TrackMania Nations ESWC, the User is undertaking to respect the terms and conditions of the License.

1- The License

Nadeo grants the User a non-exclusive and non-transferable License to use TrackMania Nations ESWC, but remains the owner of all the rights relating thereto.
Any rights not specifically transferred by this License remain the property of Nadeo.
Nadeo reserves the right to modify the terms of this license from time to time.
TrackMania Nations ESWC is licensed and not sold to the User, for private use.
The License does not confer any right or title to TrackMania Nations ESWC and cannot be understood as a transfer of intellectual property rights to TrackMania Nations ESWC.

2- Ownership of TrackMania Nations ESWC

The User recognises that all of the rights associated with TrackMania Nations ESWC and its components (in particular the titles, computer codes, themes, characters, character names, plots, stories, dialogues, places, concepts, images, photographs, animation, videos, music and text contained in TrackMania Nations ESWC), as well as the rights relating to the trademark, royalties and copyrights, are the property of Nadeo and are protected by French regulations or other Laws, Treaties and international agreements concerning intellectual property.

3- Use of TrackMania Nations ESWC

The User is authorised to use TrackMania Nations ESWC in accordance with the instructions provided in the manual or on the packaging of TrackMania Nations ESWC.
The License is granted solely for private use.

You may only use Nadeo client software to access and/or use the game.

As a condition of your use of the game, you will not use the game for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms of Use. You may not use the game in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the game or interfere with any other party's use and enjoyment of it. You may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any account, computer systems or networks associated with the game or to otherwise interfere with or disrupt any accounts, computer systems or networks connected to the game. You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available or provided for through the game. You may not use access to the game to obtain information necessary for you to design, develop or update unauthorized software that you use or provide to others to use to access the game.

It is not permitted:
- To make copies of TrackMania Nations ESWC,
- To operate TrackMania Nations ESWC commercially,
- To use it contrary to morality or the laws in force,
- To use the game in connection with surveys, contests, pyramid schemes, chain letters, junk email, spamming or any duplicative, bulk or unsolicited messages (commercial or otherwise),
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- To use any material or information, including images or photographs, which is made available through the game in any manner that infringes any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary right of any party,
- To use, download or otherwise copy, or provide (whether or not for a fee) to a person or entity any directory of users of the game or other user or usage information or any portion thereof,
- To violate any code of conduct or other guidelines which may be applicable to the game,
- To use any portion of the game to harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including e-mail addresses,
- To modify TrackMania Nations ESWC or create any derived work,
- To transmit TrackMania Nations ESWC via a telephone network or any other electronic means, except during multi-player games on authorised networks,
- To decompile, reverse engineer or disassemble TrackMania Nations ESWC,
- To cheat by modifying files, using special tools and any other way.

Always use caution when giving out any personally identifiable information about yourself or your children in the game. Nadeo does not control or endorse the content, messages or information exchanged by means of the game and, therefore, Nadeo specifically disclaims any liability with regard to the game and any actions resulting from your participation in the game.

You are responsible for all activities that occur in your game account. You agree to notify Nadeo immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or breach in security known to you related to the game.

Nadeo reserves the right to remove, edit, move, close or suspend any account for any reason.

The User cannot sell, sublicense or lease TrackMania Nations ESWC to a third party.
The User can only transfer TrackMania Nations ESWC if the recipient agrees to the terms and conditions of the License. In this event, the User undertakes to transfer all components and documentation relating to TrackMania Nations ESWC. He also undertakes to delete any copy of TrackMania Nations ESWC from his computer. In this event, this License is automatically and immediately terminated.

4- Termination of the License

The License is effective from the first time TrackMania Nations ESWC is used.
It is terminated automatically by Nadeo without notice if the User fails to adhere to the terms and conditions of the License.

5- Warrantee Limitation

The User recognises expressly that he uses TrackMania Nations ESWC at his own risk.
TrackMania Nations ESWC is provided as is. The User is responsible for any costs of repairing and/or correcting TrackMania Nations ESWC.
To the extent of what is laid down by the Law, Nadeo rejects any warrantee relating to the market value of TrackMania Nations ESWC, the User’s satisfaction or its capacity to perform a specific use.
The User is responsible for all risks connected with lost profit, lost data, errors and lost business or other information as a result of owning or using TrackMania Nations ESWC.
As some legislations do not allow for the aforementioned warrantee limitation, it is possible that it does not apply to the User.

6- Liability

In no event can Nadeo be held liable for any direct, consequential, accidental, special, ancillary or other damages arising out of the use or inability to use TrackMania Nations ESWC, as well as out of the ownership or poor functioning thereof, even if Nadeo has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
In particular, Nadeo accepts no liability regarding use of TrackMania Nations ESWC contrary to the precautions for use set out in the manual and on the packaging.
As some legislations do not allow exemption from liability in the event of direct or incidental damages, it is possible that the aforementioned exclusion does not apply to the User.

This License to use TrackMania Nations ESWC grants specific rights to the User and he may have other rights depending on the laws in his State.

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You agree to indemnify and hold Nadeo, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your use of the game, the violation of these Terms of Use by you, or the infringement by you, or other user of the game using your computer or identity, of any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity.

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You consent to Nadeo providing you any information regarding the game in electronic form. Nadeo may provide such information to you via e-mail at the e-mail address you specified when you registered for the game. As long as you access and use the game, you will have the necessary software and hardware to receive such notices. If you do not consent to receive any notices electronically, you must discontinue your use of the game.

IF YOU PURCHASED YOUR COPY OF TrackMania Nations ESWC IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OR ANY COUNTRY OTHER THAN A MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, OR CANADA, MEXICO, RUSSIA, OR THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE FOLLOWING TERMS APPLY TO YOU:

In Game Advertising
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• By installing and playing TrackMania Nations ESWC on any platform used now or in the future to connect to the Internet, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions, including the data collection and uses described above, and you are consenting to IGA’s disclosure of this information in response to legal process (for example, a court order, search warrant or subpoena) or when IGA determines that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the rights or property of IGA or a third party.
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IGA reserves the right to change the practices described above, after giving you appropriate notice, but will not apply any changes retroactively without your unambiguous consent.


In the course of using TrackMania Nations ESWC, you may receive dynamic content supplied by third parties, including advertising content. Information about your interaction with TrackMania Nations ESWC and the dynamic content may be disclosed to third parties. By using this game on any platform connected to the Internet, you explicitly agree to: (1) receive such dynamic content, including advertising and other marketing communications; and (2) the personal information use and disclosure practices described above.
So... is it legal? :|
MasterSaitek009
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by MasterSaitek009 »

That would be awesome...
Now if someone could find a way to import custom models....

By the way, for easier .dds to .tga try this program.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by t551 »

The problem is probably that the .dds contains the lorez pictures (mipmaps) as well as the full-resolution one, and the standard conversion program that you're using doesn't recognize that, converting only the first mipmap. There are some converters out there that will spit out all the mipmaps as separate files- you're going to need one of those.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Teancum »

Taivyx wrote:So, um, legal?
Anything in the EULA preventing the editing of the software files without permission from Nadeo?
Completely legal. It's no different than using the in-game car painter.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by MasterSaitek009 »

Would this one work?
I guess I'll try it out and see....
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Darth_Z13 »

Teancum wrote:
Taivyx wrote:So, um, legal?
Anything in the EULA preventing the editing of the software files without permission from Nadeo?
Completely legal. It's no different than using the in-game car painter.
*phew* :P

I was worried for a sec.
t551 wrote:The problem is probably that the .dds contains the lorez pictures (mipmaps) as well as the full-resolution one, and the standard conversion program that you're using doesn't recognize that, converting only the first mipmap. There are some converters out there that will spit out all the mipmaps as separate files- you're going to need one of those.
So a .dds CAN be exported to .tga and then exported BACK into .dds without problems? :|
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by t551 »

There's no problem with exporting- it's just that the .dds actually contains several pictures- and your exporter is only spitting out the first one. You need a program that can spit all the mipmaps out, and take them all back in.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by MasterSaitek009 »

Got it!
Download DDS Converter 2, install and run it then go into option.
Under DDS you should see the box that says build mipmaps,
check that and then set the number below that box to 10(default for TM nations)
Click ok then start converting and skinning, I used GIMP and it worked fine. :)
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Hebes24 »

Nice find!
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Darth_Z13 »

MasterSaitek009 wrote:Got it!
Download DDS Converter 2, install and run it then go into option.
Under DDS you should see the box that says build mipmaps,
check that and then set the number below that box to 10(default for TM nations)
Click ok then start converting and skinning, I used GIMP and it worked fine. :)
Great job! :thumbs:

Modders... start your engines! :P

Adding to first post.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Commander_Cody771 »

YAY! :thumbs: :thumbs:. Finally a custom skin for TM Nations ESWC! I know how to change the music:
1. Download Switch, http://www.nch.com.au/components/switchsetup.exe
2. get your desired song for the game.
3. convert it to a .ogg
4. now you can add it as the main menu music to this address: C:\Program Files\TrackMania\GameData\Skins\Menu\Music or racing: C:\Program Files\TrackMania\GameData\Skins\Stadium\Music\Race. just be sure you copy off the style name of the other songs. Lets say that your song is named,(ex.) Good Day, name it in the dir.: 04. TM Nations - Good day! This can also be a way to get music from the game: convert the .ogg!

CHEERS!!! Commander Cody771 :D

edit: if you have any problems with what I just told you, PM me.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Hebes24 »

Thanks for the tutorial, Commander_Cody.

Edit: Two Questions:

How do you set up the custom music once you get into the editor?

Does anyone know any way of changing the overall volume of a song? (when my music's ingame, it's very quiet)
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Dohnutt »

AWESOME :D

But homework :(
Ugggggh
I hate it.
I'll install it this weekend!
That's a promise!

@Commander Cody - Is there any way to play playlists ingame?
Hebes24 wrote:Thanks for the tutorial, Commander_Cody.

Edit: Two Questions:

How do you set up the custom music once you get into the editor?

Does anyone know any way of changing the overall volume of a song? (when my music's ingame, it's very quiet)
You could open it up with Audacity (Google it) and go Effects > Amplify.
That always works. You gotta remember to save the file as a .MP3 though.
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by DeathRow »

Wow! Im just gonna get Trackmania to mod it. Thanks for the Tutorials and getting me into Trackmania



EDIT!

:thumbs:

Image


Just a quick Reskin to the Australian car, added Assassins Creed guy and changed colours around :)
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Commander_Cody771 »

@Dohnutt: what do u mean?
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Penguin »

Have multiple songs play after each other, eventually repeating.

EG: 1.mp3 > 2.mp3 > 3.mp3 > 1.mp3 > etc
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Re: TrackMania Nations Modding

Post by Hebes24 »

But how do you set up the music in the track editor? I can only see one thing for custom music, and the only option is "default". :?

Also, Look what I found while looking for new car models!
Hidden/Spoiler:
Image
Get it Here

Put the .zip file in your TrackMania Nations ESWC\GameData\Skins\Vehicles\StadiumCar directory. (DO NOT Extract! just copy the .zip file to that location.)
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