View Full Version : Making model work with multiple Skins
How to make a model work with multiple skins, men? I'm really confused and eager to solve the matter out. Hold.. Maybe I should be more clear...
I want to have Two liches, One is "Skeletal Lord" and other is Normal, I have both skins, but the problem is, I want to use both at one map... It's a cinematic of both liches talking with each other... How to make it?.... Confused!
Is it possible to change the skin path desiginated to one model to another? I have Warcraft 3 Viewer and a nice MPQ application, how do i make it men?
Means... The Skin path given to Arthas (Wielding Sword) is "Textures\Arthas.blp" is there way to change it to "Textures\MySkin.blp" or somethiing else ?
XZminX
11-06-2005, 1:19 PM
Why dont you make two lich units, and each would have its own skin? If you want unit to change, from lich 1 to lich 2. Use 2 liches, and replace it with action Unit - Replace.
So, just make 2 liches.
As a matter of fact I did, I used one Kel'thuzad and the other lich... But the problem is they both use the same skin! I can't make it something like "Blademaster" and "Chaos Blademaster", The blademasters' models are same but they use different skins, and here for the Kel'thuzad they have got Different models but they use same skins... I guess the second paragraph in my post earlier clears the matter up but I don't know the way to do it.. You know it?
Sid, can't you change the model of that "Skeletal Lord", in the unit properties (F6 key), into the one you intend to import over? :confused: That's how I'd have tried it 1st.
For instance, peek the example shown here (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=230138&postcount=15), in where the Naga submerged hero has a different art model than the regular one.
Sid, can't you change the model of that "Skeletal Lord", in the unit properties (F6 key), into the one you intend to import over? :confused: That's how I'd have tried it 1st.
For instance, peek the example shown here (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=230138&postcount=15), in where the Naga submerged hero has a different art model than the regular one.
Hey.. wait, The "Skeletal Lord" I'm saying is not a model, but a skin! The skin I want to use with Lich's model is called as "SkeletalLord.blp", Got it?
See Now, In the map, I should have Two Liches, One Say "Lich 1" will have normal skin, And the Other "Lich 2" will have the "SkeletalLord.blp" skin. The Title of the thread itself makes it clear, That I want to run a model, "MODEL.MDX" and that model has a skin path, say, "SKIN.BLP". Now I want that model running with the skin, "MYSKIN.BLP" in the same map where it is already running with it's default skin! I hope all the above posts clear the question for all of you and I'm for the Modellers around to answer me.
XZminX
11-08-2005, 12:23 PM
I remembered the issue. You cant do that because the model has its code that says: "Use this specific skin!" You can't change that.
There is a way but very complex. You need to find the units xml file and add a new unit - And there you can specify the new units skin (I hope so, check it use WinMPQ)
Are you sure it's XML? I think it should be MDL! And yes... the War 3 model editor can convert MDX into MDL, which can be edited further with Notepad! I did the same.. And thank Goodness.. It worked! The mess is now solved! I did the following things to do it.
Extracted the model, Say MODEL.MDX,
Opened it, Then File -> Save As... , Saved it as MODEL.MDL
Opened the MODEL.MDL in notepad, changed the Skinpaths, and save.
Then.. If you really need, covert it back into MODEL.MDX !
XZminX
11-10-2005, 4:00 PM
Yes thats good.
But if you wanna add a new unit, not just for certain map, for all maps. Then you need to add that unit into the unit xml file. (and coresponding spell xmls and other stuff too)
It's pretty complicated but it works. I once added a new spell using that technique. It worked like a charm.
Basan
11-11-2005, 10:15 AM
Are you sure it's XML? I think it should be MDL! And yes... the War 3 model editor can convert MDX into MDL, which can be edited further with Notepad! I did the same.. And thank Goodness.. It worked! The mess is now solved! I did the following things to do it.
Extracted the model, Say MODEL.MDX,
Opened it, Then File -> Save As... , Saved it as MODEL.MDL
Opened the MODEL.MDL in notepad, changed the Skinpaths, and save.
Then.. If you really need, covert it back into MODEL.MDX !
Ok, you were right. But I just can't dl the app from the link you've provided (http://www.warboards.org/showpost.php?p=240489&postcount=11), because it always breaks the deadful dl preventing me to get the full *.zip file. :P
Can you, or any other member that has it, please send it to me through PM or via e-mail? Thanks a million. ;)
Yes thats good.
But if you wanna add a new unit, not just for certain map, for all maps. Then you need to add that unit into the unit xml file. (and coresponding spell xmls and other stuff too)
It's pretty complicated but it works. I once added a new spell using that technique. It worked like a charm.
Hmm, terribly interesting. And how did you edited the *.xml file? It seems to be kinda difficult, if I might add. :confused:
XZminX
11-15-2005, 3:43 PM
Not really. You just extract the needed xml file/s and txt file/s (used for skin paths) and you copy similar unit/item/spell or whatever into an empty line at the end of the document. You change the code and values and path in the txt files. Then you put these files in the folders that represent the right path they were in the mpq file. Then you put this folder in warcraft dir. Open the WE and voila!
There is a tutorial on this with exact instructions but I forgot where. Google it.
Wait.... As far as I remember... I also used the same technique for adding new spells, and upgrades in one of my total conversion mod... (Oh, It was for RoC and it sucked to.. So I kept it unpublished) But that was not dealing with *.XML files, I think it's *.SLK buddy! Like those can be found straight in
War3.mpq\Units section! (e.g. UnitData.slk, UnitBalance.slk moreover UnitAbilities.slk and AbilityData.slk and many more.. ) Get an MPQ tool (Better do it with Ladik's MPQ Editor since it it's better with Extraction of Files and has ability to read the internal listfile, Unless it's damaged by third party programs) You can straight away open them with Excel and yes, It might look a bit of messy, so first try opening the *.slk files within War3.mpq as it's got commented everywhere from Blizzard itself explaining almost everything. As you get more hands over it, turn to the new data formats or War3X.mpq (Sadly they hadn't commented it well since it was not much needed) But remember if you are using your edited files for mod, Put'em in War3Patch.mpq file. There are several tutorials around here, u can use them. And yes... Don't try to use the Ladik's MPQ editor to create you mpq file or add files in it, Use WinMPQ, PowerMPQ, or even ZIPtoMPQ tool to do that job. Ladik's mpq editor, though excellent in Browsing and extracting, sucks in creating new mpqs and adding files in mpq archieves. (I don't know if new version is fixed completely and out of this bug- I even don't know if a new version is out for that!) Anyway... XZminX what are you current projects? I would surely like to help...
XZminX
11-18-2005, 4:45 PM
Yes, thank you, Sid for correcting me. You're totally right about slk files. It was a misstype. Sorry! (I dont know how I got the idea of xml...Jesus...I must be getting old LOL)
Currently, I have no projects. I have one Hero Arena Map at 99.99%. I need to make just one more ability icon and import it and it will be over. When I learned almost everything (not absolutely everything, thats impossible) it became boring in a way.
But I'm writing poetry and a fantasy book. It's going great for now. But its on Croatian. I dont have much time for that either, school, driving school, programming hours (well just at home) and other reasons that I don't wanna talk about now.
You may have noticed that now I come rarely to WB.. I hope things will get better!
Greetings to ya all!!!
Hmm... I too almost know manipulate every aspect of the WC now, so it is now becoming a bit of boring of me as well. Well, I'm making a Fifth Demon Race for melee single and multiplayer games and campaigns as well. (Inspired from Creeps race from Creep Rebelion)... Ok, I just need a couple of new skins (Sadly there arn't so well on wc3sear.ch but now i'm looking forward to make my own.) A small deal of Icons... And some new spell Ideas for "Eredar Warlock"--One spellcaster hero for demons, Oh and yes... I've finished by Bullet-Time action system and added an ability like it to one of my heroes... Oh... I guess i'll be posting the engine here on WB and .ORG database as well. And yes, do you know how to create an Installer like Creep Rebellion? Or DMmod? Sadly I don't know much about MPQ2K and running a scripts on it. I hope you will help... Right?
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