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I have tried many different tutorial etc. to find a way to create my own skins. I have looked far and wide, and have read many tutorials. I consider myself a Young Padowan on the subject. I have decided to make a beginners guild, by a beginner, for beginners. First off:

In order to create\ download mods (Maps that have more than just a new map. This could be anything from new skins to vehicles apering on different sides, to mixing units) and Maps (Just player made maps with nothing new added) you will need to put them in following folder: BFII \ Game Data\ Addon

(Please note. The “addon” folder may not be in the “Game Data” folder, if it is not, then create a new folder named “addon” in the “Game Data” folder. The “Addon” folder is where all new maps go. With out it, you couldn’t play any new maps.

Folders are shown in a way where the “\” designates the folder to the right is inside of the folder to the left. So in the above statement:

The “SWBFII” (Star Wars BattleFront II) file contains a file named “Game Data” inside of it. “Game Data” has a file named “Addon” in it. You may need to create the “addon” folder. (I don’t think that capital letters mater)

With out further to do:

1) Skins are .tgs files. They can be opened with specific art programs. I personally use Gimp.

http:\\www.gimp.org\ (Download Here) (Learning to use Gimp is a tutorial all in its own right. If you would rather use another program, you could use Gimp to change the .tga file to a .png, or .jpg file to use Microsoft Paint, or another art program.)

2) To get the .tga files you must first download the BF2 Modding tools.

http:\\starwarsbattlefront.filefront.com\file\Star_Wars_Battlefront_II_Mod_Tools_PC;57352

4) Open and install the program.

The program should install in the C: \Program Files\ BF2_ModTools

(“BF2_ModTools” being the BFII Modding Tools program)

5) Go to BF2_ModTools \ data \ _BUILD and double click the “Modtools VisualMunge.exe”

*note* VisualMunge is the program the makes the map data. The only way to use skins is to make a map with the skins. From what I get, people make skins, and let others download and use them. From my under standing, that is what all “Skin Packs” are. (Please correct me if I’m wrong)

*note * BFII Modding Tools has a folder called “documentation.” This has many guides on how the VisualMunge and Zero Editor (The program where you actually design the world) and many other things related to designing maps.

*note* VisualMunge creates map data. E.G. it puts all of the needed files together, and compresses them. On the second Munging (the possess of compiling the data and automatically putting the level into the above mentioned “addon” folder.

Zero Editor is the program that you use to adjust the height\slope of the ground, add control points, vehicles, buildings, foliage, etc. in the map data you created in VisualMunge. You can find a tutorial in the “documentation” folder called “Getting Started. This guide also tells you how to use VisualMunge.

>This would be much easier if you hade the file open in a separate window, right in front of you.<

6) I am no substitute for the “Getting Started” tutorial\guide that comes in the “documentation” folder. First, make your world. Open BF2_ModTools\data\_Build and start the VisualMunge.exe. You should have a window pop up that looks like this. (This is a picture of all the fields filled out.)

[URL=http:\\s716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\?action=view&current=VisualMunge.png][IMG]http:\\i716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\th_VisualMunge.png[\IMG][\URL]

The three letters is the “name” that the computer will look for. If you look at all of the BF2 levels you will notice the main files have only three letters. This is the same thing. You three letters will be the name of the main file.)

The “Game modes” box is all of the available game modes that are to be included in the compiled data. If you have only the “Conquest” box checked. You will only be able to play “Conquest” in your map. The other data will not be available.

Everything else is pretty self-explanatory.

Click “Create World”

*NOTE* Nerver interrupt VisualMunge when it is “Mungeing.” This will leave a HUGE mess that might create problems. As another guild recommended, don’t download, surf the internet, play pc games, etc. while Munging.

7) Now. Go to BF2_ModTools\ assets\ sides

This folder holds all of the skins and data for all of the units in SWBFII.

8] Copy the “rep” file and paste it in the BF2_ModTools\data_ABC\Sides (“rep” being all of the republic units)

9) Open Gimp, and go to C:\Program Files\BF2_ModTools\data_ABC\Sides\rep\Msh You should see a bunch of .tga files. Pick one. (I am using the “rep_inf_ep3sniper” and the “rep_inf_ep3sniper_cape” files. The Sniper skin, and the skin of his cape.)

[URL=http:\\s716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\?action=view&current=rep_inf_ep3sniper.png][IMG]http:\\i716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\th_rep_inf_ep3sniper.png[\IMG][\URL]

[URL=http:\\s716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\?action=view&current=rep_inf_ep3sniper_cape.png][IMG]http:\\i716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\th_rep_inf_ep3sniper_cape.png[\IMG][\URL]

10) Edit to your liking.

[URL=http:\\s716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\?action=view&current=rep_inf_ep3sniperb.png][IMG]http:\\i716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\th_rep_inf_ep3sniperb.png[\IMG][\URL]

[URL=http:\\s716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\?action=view&current=rep_inf_ep3sniper_capeb.png][IMG]http:\\i716.photobucket.com\albums\ww170\IronJawTheStrong\SWBF2\th_rep_inf_ep3sniper_capeb.png[\IMG][\URL]

(As you can see, all I really did was turn the blue to green, and did some work on the helmet.)

Here is a picture by Wazmol69 that was posted on GameToast and File Front by Dragon93. It has a .tga file (ep3trooper) that has letters showing you what all if the different sections are, for easy coloring. This was very beneficial to me. And I hope it is very beneficial to you.



When saving, click the “Save As” button, and resave it in the data_ABC\Sides\Msh as it’s original name. Click “Yes Override” and select “RLS Compression” to off. This is an important step. The “RLS Compression” must be off.

11) Now that you have saved your new skins, it’s time to make your map. Open data_ABC\_BUILD and run the VisualMunge.exe. The top part of the VisualMunge is grayed out (If you have read the “Getting Started” guide you would have anticipated this.) But the bottom isn’t. As skinners it isn't mandatory for use to mess with anything else so I don’t recoment touching anything, other than the “Sides” slide down bar. Select “rep” and click “Munge.” After you are done Mungeing, if you have a window pop up that is a lists of errors, that mentions your said skin, then something is wrong. You might have had the RLS Compresion on, the fiel might have been to big/small, etc. If you can't figure it out, feel free to post here on the forum.

Your map is now complete, and has automatically been added into your “addon” folder (in the SWBFII game) as a new map. Start up SWBFII and enjoy your new, personal Skins.

Comments\ Suggestions, etc. are welcome. I’ve only started looking into skinning around a week ago, and have only just gained most of this knowledge over the last two days. Thanks for reading,

IronJaw

Credits:
Me for the guide (IronJaw)
The may guides I read.
And Par3210 for helping me clean up question 11).

IronJaw wrote:Folders are shown in a way where the “/” designates the folder to the right is inside of the folder to the left.

You mean "\" (back slash).

Both work in Windows.

That's why us new guys need you old guys. I have fixed the guide and hope it is beneficial. If you are confused, or if I missed something important, please post away! I can't fix the guide if I don't know whats wrong.

you can add on step 11, to the guide, that when you said don't touch these things in visual munge, you CAN change what you put to: "The Visual Munge can be used for skinning, munging your map, and other useful things. For our purpose, skinning, you should leave all the boxes blank. Then go to your SIDES box, and click the "rep" box in this list. Then click Munge and wait. Do NOT touch anything until it finishes munging. At the end a notepad should pop up. This shows your errors from the munge. If there are any mentions about your rep unit in here that you skinned, you did it wrong. Post the errors here at Gametoast and we can help fix them. If there are no errors about your skinning, you can go into SWBF2 and test your map!"
This is, if you want to, though.

you only need to munge common once when you first munge your map and only when you edit stuff in the common folder ie scripts and stuff you do not need to munge common when you are munging side skins this is a common misconception and wastes a lot of time

ok, edited my post

Thanks for the heads up. I have edited the guide. ( By-The-Way is there a time limit on how long you may edit your post? I've been to some forums where the "edit" button disappears after 30 minutes.)

edit button does not disapear. I think you mean the delete button.
Thanks for putting me in credits. Your guide is very useful and even I did not know some of that anyway. Thanks for the guide and well done again

I'll bet he's thinking of FileFront, where the edit button goes poof after it gets bored, that's thirty minutes or so.

And yes, hooray, another skinning guide!
To be fair, it does contain some details the others leave out, a useful reference pic, and it is pretty well written. Good job.

And I think it's RLE Compression, not RLS, but correct me if I'm wrong, please, everyone.

Par is right, it is RLE EDIT/Offtopic: What does RLE stand for anyway?

also, I tried this but it didn't work for my jawas. >.> Must be a fault somewhere, with me, or with the guide...

Super_Clone wrote:What does RLE stand for anyway?

You're on the internet already, why don't you use what you have?
http://URL Shorteners are disallowed on Gametoast. Use direct links only./nkpd3l

I honestly wrote the guide last night/ this morning at 12 AM. I wasn't very tired, and decided that a guide may be useful for some new people like me. RLS was just what I remembered. I Might be RLS. I'll change it when I get around to it, but Dinners ready, and I''m hungry.

Meatloaf is fun. Not like ->