Help reskinning monsters

[genmills]

The title says it all. Basically, I want to make a version of either monster that is much darker so it will look more like a silhouette. I would also like to get rid of that weird coloring when you look directly at it. You know, sometimes when you look at the monsters they get this purply color, similar to items that can be picked up...

Here is what I tried to do: I copied everything from the one monster folder, and made a new folder for my monster. Then I renamed everything inside to the name of the new monster. Then I opened up the .dds files in GIMP and changed them to be really dark. I also tried altering the .mat file to use the new darker .dds that I made. I also used the model editor to have the .dae file use the new darker .mat, and I used the model editor to alter the .ent to use my new darker .dds/.mat, but nothing seems to work. No matter what I do, the new monster is the exact same color as the old one.

Could someone please explain the process of reskinning models? I don't need detailed explanations, I just need to know every step to learn what I am missing. (e.g., you don't need to say, "Open GIMP and import the .dds and change the colors this way, etc, etc." Just say, "Darken the .dds file.") Thanks so much!

[Simpanra]

to be honest im not even close to an expert in what you are talking about, but i have a few ideas for you,

(1) Have you put all your edited files back into a folder (named the same as your new monster) and placed them back into the monster entities folder? (the one with the original monsters in it),

(2) If you have done the above have you then used the level editor to insert your NEW enemy (not the old one)?

(3) -more of a question than a hint- if you have done both of the above, what does the monster look like in the editor? Is it like your new one or still looks like the old ones?

I will post again if i have any more ideas =)

[MrBigzy]

Don't think you'd have to change anything but the texture (unless you renamed it to something new). I just tried it and it worked for me.

Edit: Oh, just saw that you are renaming everything. Lemme test all that out.

Dbl Edit: Did you change the naming for all the other textures too? The normal and specular, as well as the diff, nrm and spec for the hair? I just imported the model, changed the material, exported, deleted the old ent and mat files, opened the model in the model viewer and let it create a new mat file for me. Although it didn't work, I think it was because my original import was not aligned on the proper axis, and it had texture vertex problems.

But yea, make sure all the other textures are renamed properly too.

[Danny Boy]

you will need to open the .ent file to make it open the new .dae file... so youll need to change the the original dae's location to the new one

[palistov]

The weird coloring is probably the specular map. Try making a new .mat file without the specular option?

[genmills]

Either I don't understand some of what you guys are saying, or it isn't applicable. I don't have to worry about changing the source files for the new monster. This is what I did:

I copied the brute monster and made another brute monster. There are two whole folders with the exact same stuff. Then I changed the folder name of mine, and the name of all the files inside it (except animations). Then I altered the .dds file and saved it over that new one. I used the material editor to change the new .mat file to use the altered .dds file. Then I change the .mat of the .ent file and it looks fine there. But when I press test model or w/e, or if I insert it in to the level editor, all the old colors come back...

MrBigzy:
You said you got it to work somehow? Could you explain how?

Sorry for being such a hassle, I just don't get what I'm doing wrong!!

[MrBigzy]

I'm not sure if it worked, the modelview crashed it cause of some texture errors (due to exporting it improperly, that's an issue in the other thread).

You probably have to change the .dae as well. There's information in there about the textures.

[palistov]

1) Download Blender 2.57 and 2.49b.
2) Get python 2.6.X
3) Get GIMP and the .dds plugin
4) Open the .dds file for the grunt, darken it
5) Import the .dae file into Blender .257
6) Switch to UV Editing mode, open the edited dds image
7) Save as a .blend file
8) Open in Blender 2.49b, export as COLLADA 1.4
9) Import into ModelEditor, save as entity
10) Make sure all files are there in the entity's root
11) Try it out!

As I said before, exclude the grunt_skin_spec.dds file, because I believe that is what gives you that blue glow

EDIT: This may not work, because I think there's some issue with animations when you open a Blender 2.57 file into 2.49b. Give it a shot tough, because that's how I create my custom props/entities.

[genmills]

1) Download Blender 2.57 and 2.49b.
2) Get python 2.6.X
3) Get GIMP and the .dds plugin
4) Open the .dds file for the grunt, darken it
5) Import the .dae file into Blender .257
6) Switch to UV Editing mode, open the edited dds image
7) Save as a .blend file
8) Open in Blender 2.49b, export as COLLADA 1.4
9) Import into ModelEditor, save as entity
10) Make sure all files are there in the entity's root
11) Try it out!

As I said before, exclude the grunt_skin_spec.dds file, because I believe that is what gives you that blue glow

EDIT: This may not work, because I think there's some issue with animations when you open a Blender 2.57 file into 2.49b. Give it a shot tough, because that's how I create my custom props/entities.

Thanks. I need a little more help though. I downloaded Blender 2.57 since I was only using 2.49 before. Apparently they changed a ton of the hotkeys. I don't have a menu that says "File Edit Tools Help Etc." How do I get that back? Also, you know how you can "split zones" and then choose what type of thing it is (UV editing, Textures, etc.). Well I can't choose what type of thing it is. The more I try to change things, the more everything becomes blank. Eventually, I'm left with no buttons, no menus, and just that stupid default cube!!! I like Blender, but I honestly believe it's one of the MOST user UNfriendly programs out there...

Edit: I just reinstalled it and it's back to normal. But when I try to import the .dae, it crashes Blender, and then when I open it again, it looks "menu-less" again... So dumb... I just want a darker monster who actually looks scarier!!!

[palistov]

Hrm that's very bizarre. I haven't had trouble importing to 2.57...Try deleting the camera, light source, and the dumb little cube before importing. Or do that same reverse operation with 2.49b...open your .dae in 2.49b and save it as a .blend so you can open it in 2.57.

I'll upload a video tomorrow showing where to click and such if you don't figure it out before then. And if that still gives you trouble you just send your .dds file to me and I'll try it out, and if it works I'll send you back the .dae file with the edited texture.


EDIT: Blender 2.57 crashes when I import a .dae with animations. Problematic. And when I use 2.49b, nothing happens. This is lame. We need more monsters.......