How To: Have same vehicle with different skins

[STEAL]

Not sure if anyone covered this but I finally got it to work. We will be talking about the pershing and make a different skin for it. First off you need a second pershing so Im assuming you know how to copy and rename files. You will have to copy the ebps file and make a new squad with this new pershing in it in the squad loadout. Simple.
Now go into data,art,models,races,allies,vehicles and copy and rename the m26 pershing folder. You can extract this folder and rename it. Next you will have to extract all files in the copied folder and I mean all files. Close the mod tool. I know you dont have to when you copy and rename but this is the easy way. Find the files you extracted in your mod and rename them all the same, rename the treads, cockpit, abp, rgm and all textures associated with the new skin. Make sure they are all the same name with there original extensions of course.
Now open the mod studio, and find your files. You should have 2 m26 pershing folders inside you will find all the files renamed the same. I renamed mine something simple and added _armor onto the end of everything except the model folder inside the m26_armor folder.
Open the abp file and add the new name to the file already there, line 3 on mine and keep the quotations the same just add inside the quotes. It will look like this
"M26_Pershing_Armor", make sure the comma is there. I dont know if this makes a difference but the armor is capitalized. Save file.
Now open the rgm file and add _armor (my example) to the end of every file in the rgm. There are 4 catagories you have to edit which have multiple files assinged to different textures. It will look like this:
art\models\races\allies\vehicles\m26_pershing_armor\m26_pershing_armor\model\tex_al_m26_pershing_dif_armor
art\models\races\allies\vehicles\m26_pershing_armor\m26_pershing_armor\model\tex_al_m26_pershing_tc_armor
art\models\races\allies\vehicles\m26_pershing_armor\m26_pershing_armor\model\tex_al_m26_pershing_nrm_armor
art\models\races\allies\vehicles\m26_pershing_armor\m26_pershing_armor\model\tex_al_m26_pershing_ocl_armor
art\models\races\allies\vehicles\m26_pershing_armor\m26_pershing_armor\model\tex_al_m26_pershing_gls_armor
art\models\races\allies\vehicles\m26_pershing_armor\m26_pershing_armor\model\tex_al_m26_pershing_spc_armor

Notice the _armor added to the two m26_pershing, these assign the folder then you add the _armor at the end of each file.
You need to do this for the 4 sub directories on the left hand side of the screen in the rgm files. If the file doesnt refer to the m26 pershing folder you renamed then dont change it. You will see some that say shared texture and I didnt change these.
Once this is all done, goto the ebps file and changed the entity blueprint to reference your new abp file which will tell it to goto your new skin folder, I just added _ armor to the end and capitalized the [a]. BTW Im assuming you already skinned the dif file in the new folder and you know how to assign group positions to units and put them in buildings.
Call your pershings from off map and call the one you put in the tank depot and you will have two pershings with different skins. Thanks to Corsix for the info in the wiki on his Jamacian Engineers. It was very helpful but if you do the vehicles that way they will come out a mess. The skin will be there but the wreck skin will also be there and the track wont move and the turret wont move.
I was vague on the making the second pershing file but I assume you already know how to do the basic modding with new units. If you want to see the renamed files check out my Tanks Only mod in the weapons range and see how I renamed the files. If you see something that relic did and the letters are capitalized then do the same when you rename the file and refer to it. I hope this helps you making same vehicles with different skins.
Also note that I tried renaming the pershing just pershing2 and the folder just pershing2 and it didnt work. I dont know why. The unit wouldnt even come up in the build menu. But when I renamed it M26_pershing_armor it worked and the same with the tiger.
THIS IS THE RESULTS I HAVE 4 PERSHINGS WITH DIFFERENT SKINS
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9933/relic00643wq6.th.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/my.php?image=relic00643wq6.jpg)

[AppleHead]

Awesome Tutorial, but any ideas on doing this on infantry?

I tried renaming the apb file, the folder and the skins, but the texture still doesn't show up.

[dmordred]

I'm quite new to modding, so.. where the heck is the abp file or relative for the 88mm Flak? anyone?

I wanna make an Allies version without the cammo with star symbol instead of cross. Got the textures ready, compied to allies/vehicles, renamed all the files on folder to 36inches, ranmed all stuff inside the .rgm and in the ebps file for the cannon. BUT it's still all blue wthout textures. Very weird.

Thanks a lot

[panzer tom]

Can someone please help, I'm new to all this, and I'm trying to use multiple skins with the tiger
<First off you need a second pershing so Im assuming you know how to copy and rename files. You will have to copy the ebps file and make a new squad with this new pershing in it in the squad loadout. Simple.>
I have no clue how or where to do this, could someone help? Thanks

<Now go into data,art,models,races,allies,vehicles and copy and rename the m26 pershing folder. You can extract this folder and rename it. Next you will have to extract all files in the copied folder and I mean all files.> Same here.

I apologize for my stupidity, but I am completely clueless, could someone explain it in a way that a 6 year old could understand? Thanks a lot.

[Hoyan]

Have you even installed corsix tools?

If not, then start there, you need to take it one step at a time. Get that installed start poking about, get familar with it, try doing something easy like giving your engies sniper rifles as their default weapon, load up your mod see if it works then try something a little more complex. You can't just dive in to the deep end.

[Roysalipuran]

A, i'm a new guy here could you make it a bit shorter for me to understand? (mainly cause i want to use it for my mod that makes the Tiger Ace the one in blitz and moved the regular one to the Panzer Command w/ build limit of 4 and going to do the same on the Pershing (making a Allied Ace or Pershing Ace for Armor company :D thanks to anyone that helps)) cause that would be a big help :dunce:

[Jetu]

Very useful to have a copy of a Tiger with a different camouflage.
Just a matter of.

1- Copy the tiger folder in data/art/models/races/axis/
(If its not there extract it from corsix first)

2- Rename the copy to tiger_armor and the folder inside named tiger to tiger_armor (keep model the same name), add to all the files name _armor to the end.

3- In corsix mod, go in data/art/models/races/axis/vehicles/tiger_armor open .abp and rename Tiger on line 3 to "Tiger_Armor"

4- Open .rgm and in SHD_AX_Tiger_Body mark the paths so they aim at the new files (art\models\races\axis\vehicles\tiger_armor\tiger_armor\model\Old file_armor) add _armor after _dif or whatever it is.
Example of how it should look like:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/Jetoo/ExampleofSHD_AX.jpg


5- Open your new tiger in ebsp, go into entity_blueprint_ext..
Edit: alternate_sua and animator to be Tiger_Armor/Tiger_Armor instead of Tiger/Tiger.
You end up with (Depending on what skins are being used):
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/Jetoo/relic00106.jpg

Early is Tiger_Armor (Constructed), Late is Tiger (Reinforcement) in my case. :jump:

[Madjo]

hi jetu

cab you show how i can have different skin with stug and stuh 42 ?

(with pics , step by step , please because i don't understand very well english...)


+

[TigerTanker]

Thanks for the cleaner tuto, Jetu. Can you tell me which skins do you use? I like them pretty much. I believe the one in the left is made by GnigruG, but I don't know about the other one. Also, I didn't understand the part about the epbs, could you please expalin it again?

Edit: Damn, I've just noticed that you've made a completely new unit. Btw, did anybody get this tuto working?

[Lethal Dosage]

They both look to be GnigruH's Tigers, the one on the right looks like the Bergetiger skin was used though.

Jetu's tutorial was pretty much just a cleaner and easier read version of the opening post, except his is to have the Blitzkrieg Tiger and one built from a building using different ebp, sbp, model and skin.

Madjo, The StuG IV and StuH 42 would work exactly the same way, except you won't have to create new ebp and sbp for the StuH 42 as it uses stug_iv_upgrade.

[BaronVonDuncs]

Jetu,

Your post is very good and I follow the first 3 points fine but I am still lost at number 4.

So I have Corsix open and have the Art.SGA open and have gone to the relevant races/vehicles folder. When I look at the list of files in the folder in Corsix I dont see an RGM file? I see /abp .mua. .muax .rpb .sua files only, where is the .RGM file?

At number 5 you say

Open your new tiger in ebsp, go into entity_blueprint_ext..
Edit: alternate_sua and animator to be Tiger_Armor/Tiger_Armor instead of Tiger/Tiger.

can you tell me exactly where this would be/ Is this in the attributes.sga in the ww2/archives/ folder? What is an animator.

Sorry to be a noob at this but i am still trying to get my head around it all.

EDIT:

Ok so I looked again at the Corsix tutorial and got that figured out. I was looking all round the Art file not the attributes file that what had me confused. So I see what you meant by the animator file. Still cant see any RGM file in my art.sga file though.

I am still having trouble getting this all to work. So I put new RGT files in the Stug IV folder and it has re-skinned the Stug fine. But now when I try to create a StuH42 skin that is different it wont work and just uses the same Stug IV skin.

I used one of Georiders Stuh42 skins and just copied his files exactly, creating a new Stuh42/Stuh42/model/ folder. I put the RGT files for the Stuh42 skin in this folder and put it all into the Art.SGA. Then I put a new RGD file into the attribhsm file and I called it stugiv_upgrade (i understand this is the right file for the Stuh42) then this file went into the extra attrib file I already use for the HSM pack that points to the Stuh42.apb file that I downloaded from Geo rider. As far as I can tell this should work but for some reason it just doesn't seem to. So what am i missing here?

Ok so I wanted to try something a bit more adventurous as well. I always liked the graphic of Wittman in his Tiger in the Tiger Ace campaign where he pops out the top of the Tiger. Is it possible to Mod the files so that this graphical effect is achieved in a normal multi player/skirmish game? I assume the graphical files are already there for the campaign so can i change the characteristic of the normal Tiger to have this graphic? I don't want any changes to the unit characteristic just the graphic of the tank commander on the usual Tiger call in.

I would really appreciate any advice anyone can offer.

[tankdestroyer]

I will try to do my best to help you:


So I have Corsix open and have the Art.SGA open and have gone to the relevant races/vehicles folder. When I look at the list of files in the folder in Corsix I dont see an RGM file? I see /abp .mua. .muax .rpb .sua files only, where is the .RGM file?

The problem is that you are loading .sga files. Now Relic split their files in different .sga(dunno why) so in some .sga you will see some kinds of files only, like you say in ART.sga you will see: .sua, .mua, .muax, .rgt... if you take a look to DataArtHigh.sga there you will find: .rgm, .rgo, .rpb etc...

Now forget about the .sga, you don´t need them unless you want to replace a original skin with skin_installer(to play online). What you need to do is t create a new mod and then load your mod with Corsix Mod Studio. Take a look here to create a mod:

http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=211262

Then in a milacrous way you will see all the files that are in the .sga together:). So learn this: in DataAttrib are the files related to game values, game units... everything that is not visual/art but code; in Data/Art you will find the models/skins/UI..

Example tries to creat a stug with a different skin:
So take your skin files and place them in YourCohRoot/YourModName/Data/Art/models/Races/axis/vehicle/new_stug(just an idea)/Model/......
Then extract all the files of the model you want to edit its skin, for the stug you need to extract all, .abp, .mua, .muax, .rgo, .rgm, .rga, .rpb and take those files and place them in new_stug/.... Then open the .rgm and change the paths of the skins.

Now go to DataAttrib/ebps/races/axis/vehicles/ and make a copy of the stug_iv file, rename it to new_stug, open it with mod studio and change the entity_blueprint so it matchs the location of the new rgm(the one that you edit to change the paths). Then go to DataAttrib/sbps/races/axis/vehicles/ and make a copy of the stug_iv_squad file, open it and change the load_ext so it load the new ebps you just create. Then add that squad to the spawn_ext in any building(edit ui position, etc) and it should work after that. The main problem I see is that you are putting all the files you change in .sga while they must be in your Mod folder, otherwise they wont work.
____________________________________________________________
For the tiger commander, just go to DataAttrib/ebps/races/axis/vehicles/tiger open it and go to crew_ext, there look for the path that add the infantry model and change it to the want you wish.

Good luck.

[BaronVonDuncs]

That helps but I don't want to use it as a mod because I want to play online multiplayer with it vs other people. Now i tried changing the ebps in the attrib archive.sga file and repacked it and it worked ok for a skirmish and the Stuh42 skin appeared fine but when I tried to use it for multi-player I got a sync error. Funny thing is I hadnt even built the unit yet it just sync errored for no particular reason after playing fine for a few minutes.

is it the case that if you change the attrib archive.sga file and repack with corsix it will always sync error? is this to stop cheating?

EDIT:

Got it working. I was able to make a small change to the AttribArchive.sga file. I unpacked it and changed the path for the Stuh42.abp in the stug Iv upgrade.rgm to the new one that I had put into the Art.sga. Was then able to play an on-line game fine and both skins appeared in game. I looked at the logs and my checksum is being generated correctly and matches everyone else.

It seems you can open and repack the AttribArchive.sga and make small changes like a slight alteration of the path for the abp file but I suspect that if you added or altered files in a big way it would change the checksum you generate and bugger up on-line play.

Love to know how luciform does it with his HSM pack as he just adds in a new attribarchivehsm.sga file and then changes the COH module file to use it before the normal atttribarchive.sga file. I did try adding the stuh42 rgd file to his attribarchivehsm file but it didn't seem to work.

Only problem I am having now is that when the Stuh42 blows up it goes all pink and the wreck is a big pink thing instead of the proper wreck. Also I had added the Decals that Georider created for the stug IV and Stuh (using Mr Scruffs work) and when the tank gets destroyed they are remaining behind on the wreck instead of being destroyed. I guess this has something to do with the proper path of the unit abp file when it gets destroyed but will keep hunting around.

Further Edit:

So i got the pink wreck thing sorted out as it seemed to be that I didnt put the stug iv wreck texture in the right place for the Stuh42 so it was missing the texture but once I put it in the right tex file in the art sga it worked ok and now it looks like a stug iv when its wrecked.

The only last issue is the decals. I was using the decal made by the late Mr Scruff and they are great (such a sad loss to the community) but when the vehicle is destroyed the decals appear still floating above the wreck. How do you get them to disappear when the vehicle blows up?