[HOW-TO] Simple Model swap using cope's tools

[hadrun]

[HOW TO] Using Cope's Tools for simple model/gear swapping
A tutorial/examples on how to use Cope's tools to mod ranked multiplayer,campaign, and last stand wargear. Simple mods that won't require santo's model editor, 3d max, havok, photoshop, sgareader2, or dekhranic's sga archive packer!

Internal Editing ~ Editing done within cope's tools. Extracting files for external editing.
External Editing ~ Editing done outside of cope's tools. Editing generated(extracted) files in explorer. Copy/Pasting, renaming, etc.
Releasing the Mod ~ Repacks the edited extracted files within a new sga.

~Unlocking Shuma's Rare Farseer Helm for all ranks as an example~

STEP 1. Download and install the tools/files needed ~ COPE'S TOOLS ~
You'll also need to download Shuma's Farseer Helms

STEP 2. Open cope's tools/your downloaded fehelmet.sga file and extract the required files. This will create a new file-path in windows explorer. In the same location of the sga file ~

example(s)

STEP 3. Create a new mod (selecting repack gameattrib for attrib mods*not required for model/portrait replacement mini's*) using the dow2.module located in your ret folder, and generate some mod info ~

example(s)

STEP 4. Extract the farseer armour model for each rank. This will create new file-path's in windows explorer, located in your ret folder. ~

example(s)

STEP 5. Copy the farseer_elite_wargear and farseer_rare_helmet folders(and all files within) previously extracted from the fehelmet.sga and paste them into your new mod's armour folder ~

example(s)

STEP 6. Copy the farseer_armour_rare.model file previously extracted from the fehelmet.sga folders and replace the 3 farseer armours extracted in your new mod folders, renaming the farseer_armour_rare when replacing the common/epic armour~ I should prompt to replace the rare when copying the file over~

example(s)

STEP 7. Test/Release(pack) the mod designating a release location (install and launch info for attrib mods*not required for model/portrait replacement mini's*). If everything is working and you've released/packed the mod, copy the yourmodnamedata.sga file into your /mods folder along with the rest of the mini's and launch the game!

example(s)

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Additional Info

Other Useful tools
Dekhranic's sga packer*useful for packing animation files* ~

Portrait file locations in cope's tools ~
Data\ui\textures\generic\fe\game_load
Data\ui\textures\generic\fe\game_setup\heroes
Data\ui\textures\race\icon_squads
Data\ui\textures\race\portraits
Data\ui\textures\race\squad_tabs

[Gorb]

Excellent!

Moving to How-Tos and Tutorials.

[Master Flagg]

Will this work if i want to switch my havok squad to Plague marines?

[hadrun]

Looks like CSM and Havoks use the same armour type somewhat. It's possible to turn the Havoks into Plague Marines. You might alter the regular CSM at certain army ranks though. Havoks are probably tethered to a higher rank than the CSM for most army ranks. You'd also need to swap backpack (in accessories), helm, and armour files for a full model!

[Master Flagg]

That would look cool with some CSM running around with bits of Plague marines on them lol. Nurgle is my fav chaos god

[Master Flagg]

Alright another question, when doing this. Would i have to extract all the armors for both the CSM and the Plague marines?

[hadrun]

You'd basically extract what you want to replace, and the model(s) you're wanting to use as a replacement. Replacing the csm armour(s) with the plague marine armour(s), etc, in this case. After replacing you'll want to delete any files that aren't needed(like the extracted original copy of the plague marine wargear if you copy/paste and rename instead of cut/paste and rename). Otherwise it will effect any plague marine mods with a possible vanilla wargear override.

What needs to be extracted and replaced is based off your army rank, and what rank of armour you want to replace it with. You don't need to extract common and rare plague marine armours if you're wanting to replace csm wargear with the epic plague marine, and you won't need to replace rare and epic armour if you don't plan on leveling your army rank up from 1, and so on. Santo's model editor helps for looking through the wargear so you know what you're working with. Replacing all csm ranks makes the mod more universal and usable by everyone(who don't all have the same ranks).

looks like havoks won't use Rare armour until army rank 4, regular csm at rank 11. Army Upgrades list

[Master Flagg]

I just unlocked the Rare Hellblade last weekend for Chaos. I am trying to get my barings stright does that mean that mods can only go as high as my Rank? cuz i am so damn confused lol. I feel stupid

[hadrun]

You're restricted to using the existing file-paths and file locations that link to the games existing coding/the rank system (mods that don't break regular mp). What's nice about Cope's tools is the ability to see the existing file-paths within the game module file.

[skol56lopez]

hadrun! my friend I need your help. I know you can quickly tell me how. I recently downloaded primalhuntchaos's rank 60 wargear mod. Everything looks great with a few exceptions for the space marines. All I want to change is to take away those ugly scopes on the all the bolters, and take away the ugly bronze "epic" colors on the bolters, plasma guns and plasma cannons. I'm not a very experienced modder but I do use cope's toolbox. I'd put pictures on here to show you what I'm talking about but I don't think it will let me... please please please respond.

[skol56lopez]

ok. been reading your directions... I've fiddled with this for another hour or so and I'm stuck at the part where I'm wanting to replace primalhuntchaos's marine bolter plasma gun mods with the original regular skins in the game. Am I doing it right? The copy features are not working in the sense that I think they should. I cant drag over, I cant copy/paste, I don't know how to bring files from a folder I made on my desktop (from pulling from original sga files) and replace them in primalhuntchaos sga data thing! Is there some tool I'm missing? I'm been trying so hard and I've been seeing how these things come together but I've reached a sudden gap in the bridge!! Its 5am right now for me. I'm calling it a night. Please respond.

[hadrun]

@skol, I don't think you can edit an sga in that fashion. You'll want to create a new mod after extracting the model files from the Modsm.sga, and copy over all model files within the Modsm.sga minus the weaponry you don't want. Extracting the model files with cope's tools(extract the art folder in the modsm.sga), and copying files in explorer(copy the extracted art directory, paste it into the newly created mod's data folder, and delete the weaponry you don't want).

[skol56lopez]

"copying files in explorer"? what allows you to explore edit and replace these files? I've now been looking up sga readers and they aren't helping me. the Modsm is primalhuntchaos's one. I can't find out how to paste files in a cope mod.

[skol56lopez]

When I open primal's sga file in copes tool, it says "unable to find FLB file. You probably won't be able to open RBFs". Don't know what it means but I bet if I could it would help me...

[skol56lopez]

I swear I would pay someone if they could do this for me. DEAD SERIOUS.

[hadrun]

windows explorer. When you extract files from a sga or your mod, it builds mirror file-paths outside the mod tool and extracts the file. Somewhat like a winzip extraction.

[skol56lopez]

tried it. W.E. won't view MODEL files. I really really have no Idea what I'm doing at this point. It all seems like it would be a little easier than this... Now I'm downloading all these stupid tools that I have no idea how to utilize. Like I said I would PAY someone to do this for me...

[hadrun]

you're not viewing them. You're relocating them into your mod folder(the folder created when you create a new mod in cope's tools)and releasing the mod. creating a datasga to place into your retribution/gameassets/mods folder, or the vanilla/cr installation method.

you should only need cope's tools and the sga file.

on a side note!
I'm in the process of re-working the OP~

[skol56lopez]

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! I was constantly using another mod while playing with primes sga stuff. I guess I did what you told me and extracted all of primes space marine gear and moved its folder into my current mod folder "called test5", I then deleted all of the bolter plasma gun and plasma cannon sga mods that prims crap and presto chango! Still had fully deckout space marines with normal standard issue bolters!! I'll remember this from now on! All I had to do was extract what wasn't mine put in my mod folder get rid of what I didn't like and play. The bolters look normal and okay, but now I'm going to experiment with the mod and see what every style bolter looks like and pick the coolest looking one for my marines! Any other problems I have I think I can handle on my own. Now that this job is building fresh from the bottom and not picking crap out from the middle.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MY FRIEND! I OWE YOU A DRINK!

[jonatannossrep]

Ok i didn't get the solution on the problem: FLB files missing, am I slow and blinf or did he solve it himself? I'm having that problem with a mod .sga im trying to open, for learning purpose. The mod have three extra .sga in addition to the GameAttrib_orig.sga. The mods .sga is smaller.

[hadrun]

I'm pretty sure that error has to do with the attrib side of modding stuff, and shouldn't effect access to the data files. If you're trying to open a larger mod that breaks MP, has a launcher, a folder, and module file in your ret folder. You can use cope's tools to "open a mod" and open the module file. You can then access the attribute changes as-well as the mod's guts with-out the error. Things will extract into the mod's folder (it may cause problems in the mod itself if things are altered in the folder). If there's multiple sgas, the data sga will have the models/textures

One thing i'm definitely changing is selecting the repack gameattrib option when creating a new mod. Since we're working with data files and not needing access to attrib/coding. Things will load about 3x faster. I've been repacking the gameattrib for everything I do, not needing to! Might also get rid of that error when trying to access the sga file.

[skol56lopez]

Hey hadrun I have a new question that might be more difficult. I have been downloading all kinds of new mods, The most impressive (visually) is BloodSavage's Destroyer40k mod. In the mod has has several different designs for all space marines, Tac, Assault, devastator, all having their own skin, with all kinds of epic jewlery and badges. I've been trying to use those files and folders to implement them into my own mod, moving folders, copying folders, renaming certain model files, but everytime I start the game, NOTHING changes at all. If I could just get the space marines to look 60ish but a little better and without that ugly brown badge with the red dot in it on every freaking marine, I'd be happy. Is there anything you can help me with... How do I make an SGA file that will prioritize itself over the basic power armours like every modder knows how to do? I know that these modders arn't drawing anything original, they are just grabbing wargear files and sticking them onto the marines at their leisure! I want to know how to do that!!! please tell me what I need to do!!!

[Master Flagg]

You were right it cant be done, just turns into a black box and or invisiable

[hadrun]

Pretty sure you can still prioritize a .sga using the installation method for dow 2 vanilla/chaos rising. Which armour files are you trying to transfer over? You might need to swap some armour items aswell. Textures could be in the wrong place if stuff is showing up black. Black box/invisible!?

[skol56lopez]

installation method!? elaborate... I'm trying to transfer ALL armour files over. Another thing, BloodSavage's extracted folders have like 8 more folders that start with woa_ unsure what that means... but exploring those files finds that he has custom model files for, damn near everything! bracers pauldrons chest_seals and more. These I guess are truly custom made (although they are stuff we'd see normally from the game from army leveling up) and don't have anything in common with the normal power armour, and amour item folders from original game. He has created folders like power_amour_rivets and power_armour_spikes! These folders are not normal and I don't know how to transfer these over OR rename them into something to make them show up. There's nothing to rename! its original material!! I feel I know how to do this but know what I did for the bolters isn't working for all these other files, the change just doesn't happen.

[skol56lopez]

oh screw this ultra tech stuff... Hadrun is there anyway you know of that I can get my sm army to look level sixty (with tac, dev and assault keeping there differences) with the cope tool alone?

[hadrun]

Shuma's Thread Check out the Installation instructions on the op. It only really works for sga mini mods. archive.01 on the list will load first/have first priority. Not sure if this works for ret, now that sga's are kept in a different folder. Another method I've been messing around with is the order in which you place the sga's in the mods folder, though I haven't tested it.

The problem with just copying everything over is as you stated. Alot of the files are original, and the in-game changes are done through coding and not file swapping. Options for making a duplicate would involve coding attribs which will break multiplayer or Santos tools/3dmax to add the armour items/extra bits to the armours. The downside to adding it to the armours being, any normal armour items earned through the rank system will show up as-well. You can find out what armour items your ranks uses and replace their model files with what you're after as-well

Using the file-swap method you'll only be able to replace the armour models the game normally uses (common,rare,epic.commander,gabriel,dlc wargear). Any new armour files with new textures along side the model file will need those textures in your mod files in the same location. Santos tools helps immensely with figuring out texture locations, seeing what you're working with, custom fx, etc. WoA files are from the Warpstorm over Aurelia mod.

The key with this method is finding out what the game is accessing for your current rank, and replacing those model files with what you're after. Copying over any required texture files into a similar location. Custom fx are in the motiontree file and can be implemented/replaced the same way you'd replace a model file.

[skol56lopez]

Okay I think I found 1 loophole that might help me out if you know how to solve the problem in the way. I've found (in cope's tool) in the ebps/pvp/race_marine/troops/-pick your unit-/entity_blueprint/animator_attachments, a table that might let me add all the goodies that I want. I can put all the armour items and the like that are third party and put them in the art folder so they will be there. It will take a lot of tedious typing, but if it works it will be worth it. The ONE problem thats in the way is every time I go to change the number of the "Value" line, it gives me this error:

"Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. If you click Continue, the application will ignore this error and attempt to continue. If you click Quit, the application will close immediately.

Input string was not in a correct format."

In the module files of others (like BloodSavage's sm's) He has 13 freaking attachments, yet I can't change mine... why? I've tried moving forward anyway, but it doesn't save the changes. I've seen throughout reading on other forums that this might work but they were talking on the older Corsix tool, that might not work for retribution. This will be my last shot at trying to do this, I'm not a modder or very computer savvy at all, so trying santos tools and the like are really out of my element. So I hope you can tell me how to bypass this error and make the changes work, or I'll have to earn it the old fashioned way by playing online and leveling up, getting my ass handed to me match after match after match...

Hadrun I thank your for the advise and help you've given me so far. I just need engage in this one last thing.

[hadrun]

You're so close! You're after theOnline_level_animator_attachments. You can alter the piece of wargear each rank adds. Set the rank it'll show up on with max/min levels. Adding in new custom strings seems to work better editing or coding outside of cope's.

You'll want to select create launcher when ya release the mod. So you can to access your attrib changes!

[skol56lopez]

HOLY CRAP it works!! Hallelujah! Just one tiny problem though, the model I used for test is the assult marine. All the stuff is on there but some of it looks buggy, He has chains on both shoulders that look somewhat incomplete and his right knee pad is two colors sometimes, and his left knee and chest piece seem to be blinking or something flying around in them... I set the min and max at two for everything (my current army level ) do you think it has anything to do with that? I'll do more testing tonight after I get off work.

[skol56lopez]

HA! I figured it out! You have to move the common and rare armours and other things that conflict away from your current army level. I can take it from here

THANK YOU SO F*CKING MUCH FOR YOUR HELP HADRUN!!!!! I OWE YOU A DRINK AND A SNICKERS BAR!

[Master Flagg]

I cant do the process with it being online. So i asked Bloodravange

[dr0w]

hi hadrun. thanks for the guide.

i tried to edit the mk8_sternguard.sga you released so that it only replaces the commander(rare,epic,gabriel) and not the normal space marines.
thing is the files in the sga are strange. i couldnt know which ones are needed to be renamed. so i randomly tried with no luck
any suggestions?

[Master Flagg]

It wont let me change anything without it saying that theres an error somewhere.

[hadrun]

@Drow, There's atleast three types of armours in the files. Armour/Helm/Backpack(mars pattern files), Armour/Backpack(common/rare/epic files), and Plain Armour("badge"variants). Helms range from plain - full wargear variants. I'd suggest one of the files w/o a backpack for the FC armour (he has a default backpack attached in the animator attach code), and a helm with desired wargear. Troops will need backpacks. Sternguard will have veteran troop badges, and vanguard will have veteran ASM badges. Beyond that i'd say Santo's Tools! Setting up Santos Tools is fairly easy once you have your bearings in Cope's (It basicly requires you to create a Mod named "model editor" and extract a bunch of files in it). Once it's setup you can relocate any new models/textures/etc into the extracted file-paths for viewing in the editor (seeing what you're working with w/o having to load the game constantly).

@Master Flagg, Are you trying to alter code or model swap?

[skol56lopez]

hey hadrun! quick one this should be easy, its only about copes tool... I'm trying to replace the tac marine missile launcher upgrade with the melta gun (from the techmarine) I fiddled with all kinds of thing forever but I still get the same results... icon way off screen, upgrade changes nothing. any help...

[skol56lopez]

Actually I'll just ask the bigger question in general. I want to modify upgrades for the marines and C. marines. It almost seems that the cool ass Chaos Plasma guns got cut from the game even though I can see they were made. I always get the same problem when I want to change an upgrade value, it either cancels out both and there is a blank spot, or it appears out of wack but pickable and then nothing happens. I want to get rid of the SM missile launcher from tac and replace them with meltas and replace something from the C tacs to add plasma guns... any tips, directions...?

[Master Flagg]

Just a model swap. But i just dont have the brain power to keep trying to do this.

[skol56lopez]

Hey hadrun ignore those last two posts, I figured it out today, I just copy/paste the coding of the weapon I want into the weapon upgrade I want to replace. Simple!

But I do have one more cry for help. What I want to do is slightly change the color of the plasma gun's and cannons projectile, explosion and muzzle flash to have a bit more green in it. I will look into downloading santos' tools if its going to do the job. I know you are well experienced in computer animation so I know you can help me. Do you think what I want to do can be done by a novice like me? Can you give me any tips, directions, warnings and such to get started?

[hadrun]

@MF, Still working on a new OP that will hopefully work mo betta! You've accomplished some stuff right? Never give up! sometimes ya need ta surrender to Mod another day though(Sun Tzu modding!)~

@skol, Santo's Tools will do the job! It's a matter of finding the right fx, the location of the properties, and the setup of S's tools. example. Fx stuff is motiontree stuff gladly. Because I don't know jack about animating(haven't install havok yet), and very little about coding(Time consuming shit to figure out). hell I'm just a gamer that figured a couple things out, and got so excited I had to share!

Some questions are better directed towards the tool's thread(error questions), or tut. threads about coding. I know enough about the tools to get me by, but I'll help however I can~

[skol56lopez]

Alright man. I feel as if I'm almost there... One problem, I'm pretty much at the screen that you made for me. the problem is the model is not there, its an arrow pointing to nothing. There is about 15 files that I will need to look at I think. I extracted anything that was about sm plasma. I'm not 100% sure if I have it all installed correctly. I followed about as much as I could comprehend from Yandros. ( http://forums.relicnews.com/showthre...g-units-models ). Could you tell me what I've done wrong or haven't finished. Also is there an easy way or tip you could give me to quickly find the coloring path. The menus go on forever! Lastly, Once I do this I want to pack it into an SGA file this works just like all the modders do. Plop it in the mod folder in gameassets and it works over all. So when I make new mods I won't have to go through all this again. Please help me. You've gotten me this far...

[skol56lopez]

btw... This might matter. I was not able to make a model_editor module to appear in the FXEditor Module: spot. I am just in the mod I made. I tried renaming the DOW2 module AND the DOW2Multiplayer module, but when I try to open with cope tool it says:

"The data:common directory and the attrib:common directory of the mod overlap! This tool does NOT support such module files.Please correct the module before loading it, read the user guide for help."

and it doesn't open. I downloaded the SGA reader just following directions a-la Yandros to "properly install" the editor and followed the directions from 5. on, but it only gave me problems by throwing up error messages that it could not extract ity bity file this and that. At that point I didn't see how this was any different from cope's extracting tool, (except that it freaking worked without errors!) and stopped trying to make this "model_editor" folder and module. The thing should work if its finding files based of a mod that came from a proper DOW module extracted into my named mod folder right...? Its the same crap from what I have formulated from Yandros stuff. I hope I'm not worrying about this to much. I hope you can help me out hadrun. I'm truly depending on you.

[skol56lopez]

Good news! I finally got the model to show up... All of them! I made a model_editor folder finally! I'm sure I can find the colors and edit away! But I need you to tell me how to truly save my changes, implement into a mod SGA (like the sgas' that change the game no matter if there is a mod or not), implement into game (which would probably be my mod) and then bring back to edit if I need to change things again or if it doesn't work or such. Sorry to leave so many posts... I'm almost there...

[hadrun]

I would save the file under a new name after editing the color so you still have the original file if things get too messed up. Implementing it is the same as you would a Model file. For an data sga, just extract the original fx file in your data sga, and replace it with your edited file (renaming so the game will recognize it). If you're adding it to your mod you can do the same method as the data mod(replacing the original), or copy the newly edited and original named file into your mod to access it through coding.

Sounds like you've been having a fun time setting up S's Tools! Finding the right fx file can be a headache. Some of the models will have the actions ~used to edit in new fx~ (see here for more info) listed and make finding the correct fx alot easier!

[skol56lopez]

Alright I got pretty much everything under control. All it takes now is some trial and error to get the colors right. Don't want my plasma gunners turning the battlefield into a freaking rave party!! But I need your help on one last thing. The screenshot you showed me of the plasma ambient, was NOT the actual projectile coming out of the plasma gun. I looked ALL OVER the FX editor and couldn't find it. I just need you to help me find it. As of now I have looked ALL OVER the model editors files and found what could be the ONLY F*CKING model file that it could be - art\race_marine\projectiles\plasma_blast\plasma_plasma_blast - but when I open it, it gives me this grey little lump in the center of the screen! I pulled up all kind of other things just to make sure it was working. Space marines, Kraken missiles, satchels, grenades among many, but things that have a bit more of an "fx" feel to me always turn up to be this grey lump! the Doombolt, the Librarian's Force barrier and things like that. Maybe I'm not doing enough to get it going, but I don't know how. I fiddled around with it a little but didn't see anything that made sense to me. Please tell me if you get this problem or how to really render the model and color it.

[hadrun]

That plasma_blast model does have a couple fx attachments. They both look like Arty fx's though. I looked in the attribs and the plasma guns fx are located here ~ art/fx/fx_tracers/space_marine/plasma_tracer_beam_00 ~ Did a quick test and swapped it with the plasma_tracer_beam_orange_00 and it altered the projectile ingame! If editing the colors doesn't work I can' look into altering the shader texture's colors(which would require ya to have photoshop with a dds plugin or something similar)

[skol56lopez]

Yeah, I'm having trouble trying to find a free photoshop download. Lot of shady bastards out there pushing spyware. What do you use, where can I get it?

[SweetBeatrice]

Great little tutorial, managed to get my marines in mkIII armour. I was just wondering is there any way to get the FC in his own set of armour before level 46? Have asked around but cant see an answer anywhere and this way I could try it myself.

Cheers

[hadrun]

It can be done through the coding process, but it will break MP. You're after theOnline_level_animator_attachments but for the force commander not tac marines! If you repacked the gameattrib when creating your mod you should have access to it. You're basically changing some number values that determine when the rank upgrades show up.

[Master Flagg]

So, I am level headed again after releasing the large amounts of RAEG that was building up inside of me. From what i have re-studied, You dont delete all the group folders in online-folder-attachments? But when i go to try to change anything it will come up with the "Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. If you click Continue, the application will ignore this error and attempt to continue. If you click Quit, the application will close immediately. and all that jazz