Hello!
Here it is finally!!!
Introducing the new MUA SKINNER GUI program. this program is has a simple GUI user inetrface, and can be used to import and export skins into your IGB meshes!!! It's much easier to use (for general users), and should make teh skinning process easier!
download it at:
http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua
:)
The MUA Skinner UI is a front end user interface to make the process of skinning character meshes in Activision's Marvel Ultimate Alliance and X-Men Legends 2 games easier. These IGB Mesh files contain embedded DDS mipmaps of bitmap images of each character used in the game. You can use MUA Skinner UI to export and import your custom skins into the mesh files, then load them into into the games to play your favorite characters you create!
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The main menu to the SKINNER is as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/main.gif)
Skinner
Select the Skinner option in the File Menu to run the main dialog screen as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/skinner0.gif)
Load IGB
Next Hit the Load IGB button to load the desired IGB file to import/export your custom bitmap image. (Note you must have this IGB files mipmaps locations defined from the CFG Edit/View Options, otherwise you will get a missing texure error).
In our example we have the mipmaps of 7801.igb defined, so let's load it as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/load.gif)
After the console box processes the command, now the base mipmap should be viewable as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/skinner1.gif)
EXPORT
To Export the main mipmap as a single plane BMP, hit the export button. A DDS file with all the mipmaps defined in the CFG file for the given IGB will also be exported, so you view the lower resolution mipmaps if you want. Hit the export button as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/export.gif)
A folder box will pop up where you can then click on the output BMP (or DDS) file to edit in your bitmap editor or viewer. close that box when your done, and return to the program to do your example IMPORT.
IMPORT
To import your custom BMP that you just editted or created for your custom skin, hit the IMPORT button as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/import.gif)
Now the customized IGB file with your new graphics skin should be viewable as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/skinner4.gif)
That's it!!!
Now copy and name the file the way you want it, and run the game to play your own custom character!!!
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CFG Edit/View
The key to working with this program is defining your MUASKINNER.CFG file properly. The MUASKINNER.CFG is a text file that lists each IGB file name you can edit, the type of image used (-DXT1,DXT1,DXT3,-DXT3,DXT5,RAGB,ARGB), the Resolutions for X and Y, then the offset location in the file for the location of the image. You then repeat the resolution, and offset values for smaller scaled mipmaps, followed lastly by a ".'. Use TextureFinder v2.1 (also available at http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua) to locate the offset values for each mipmap.
For our example 7801.igb, you need to define the entry in the CFG Edit screen as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/cfgedit0.gif)
These values can be determined using the TextureFinder v2.1 program available also at http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua
For each IGB file mesh you wish to customize, you must have a line defined in the CFG file.
CFGVIEW
You can also use the CFG View option to edit the muaskinner.cfg text file directly using notepad. if you are more comforatble and adept using a text editor, this option is for you.
The format of the line is as follows:
filename.igb,imagetype,Xres0,Yres0,Offset0,etc.
so for the 7801 example it would be formated as:
7801.igb,DXT3,256,256,72953,128,128,47577,64,64,21801.
1) put filename
2) for image type , you can have:
-DXT1
DXT1
DXT3
-DXT3
DXT5
RAGB
ARGB
where:
-DXT1 = used in MUA flips BGR automatically to RGB
DXT1
DXT3 = used in XMen Legends 2
-DXT3 = used in XMen Legends 1, BGR RBG flipped
DXT5
RAGB = used in icon files and automatically flips the apha plane to ARGB standard format
ARGB
3) Resolutions are 256,256,offset1,128,128,offset2,64,64,offset3,32,32,offset4,16,16,offset5,8,8,offset6.
for Xmen Legends 2 generally
Resolutions are 512,512,offset0,256,256,offset1,128,128,offset2,64,64,offset3,32,32,offset4,16,16,offset5,8,8,offset6
for MUA generally.
4) End each line in the MUASKINNER.CFG with a period (.)
View the supplied MUASKINNER.CFG to see some example definitions as follows:
(http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua/help_skinner/images/cfgview0.gif)
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If you find offset locations for more IGB files, and wish to contribute them others for inclusion into the next versions of the program , please email yur MUASKINNER.CFG file to nba2kstuff@gmx.net, and we'll include them and credit you in later releases!
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for updates visit:
http://www.nba2kstuff.org/mua
Enjoy and Happy Modding!!!
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Excellent!
Thank you.
Now all we need are some people to post their muaskinner.cfg files.
Or just offset data. I'm posting the XML1 offsets as I jot them down (see that thread), just so that anyone willing to reskin the models I upload could do so :P That way may be a tad easier than sifting through others' CFGs and worrying about stuff you might already have.
yeah, that'll be great.
you really need the name of the igb file also, that way it makes sense when you 'load' the igb in, and it'll get it.
Update v1.1
- added support for XML1 DXT3 BGR RGB flipped format as "-DXT3".
- fix to cfgedit screen dropdown selection down to 8x8 mipmap.
- updated muaskinner.cfg with couple of new models (thx Noelehmac!)
good luck and happy modding!
It seems the link for 1.1 is to a file on your machine rather than one stored online.
whoops, i fixed that link!
you should be able to downlaod it now!
give it a whirl and see how it runs!
Can anyone post the offsets for one of the HUD files, which I should then be able to use as a base to create some new HUDs?
Thanks,
Josh
Shure. For hud_head_0201, which I use as a base for all my new HUDs:
256x -> 10571
128x and 64x should be included into 256x as mipmaps (i.e. save the 256x DDS with MipCount 3, the exporter should generate them automatically, you will then copy the whole bunch into the IGB)
32x -> 54435
16x -> 53595
8x -> 54947
This file relies on the textures being DXT1 without alpha, saved in BGR-flipped format. Yesh. Enjoi.
So if I were to include this in my muaskinner.cfg file, the line should look like:
Hud_head_0201.igb, -DXT1, 256, 256, 10571, 32, 32, 54435, 16, 16, 53595, 8, 8, 54947
Correct?
yes use the menu option CFG View, and paste the following at the end of the file:
Quote
hud_head_0201.igb,-DXT1,256,256,10571,128,128,43339,64,64,51531,32,32,54435,16,16,53595,8,8,54947.
i tested it and it seemed to work!
it shuould all be on one line.
hud_head_0201.igb,-DXT1,256,256,10571,128,128,43339,64,64,51531,32,32,54435,16,16,53595,8,8,54947.
(the quote seems to be wrapping)
Perfect, can't wait to try this out after work. Thank you, you guys are scholars and gentlemen!
Josh
Well, there's another point. I save DDSes with mips always if possible, so it saves me time on cutting and pasting stuff. Because your program handles the files differently, my approach to DDSing isn't really applicable, huh?
yes Noelemahc, it's actually an easier and quicker process using the program because, you can just use Photoshop or PSP, and just save your image as a BMP file with the normal colors. the program will then automatically do that BGR/RBG flipping for you, and also the mip map generation using Direct X. so you dont need a DDS plugin or a hex editor either.
however, you can create yur own DDS file, and use that as input instead of a BMP, and just use that to do the import. you'll have to do the RBG flipping yourself tho. and you still need to specify the info in the CFG Edit/View file of course. we didnt get that far to decode the header of the IGB to figure out how to automatcally figure out where the DDS mips are. in my other programs for Electronics Arts games, we decoded the file formats completely so we could automate that process fully.
for the next version let me think of a way to automatcially calculate those ofsets for you when the mipmaps are adjacent. maybe if we say like -1 in the offset column, and the program will know to calcuate the next mipmap offset automtically based on the size of the last one.
i still think the program removes a lot of tedious steps in the hex editting and calculaution process but still allows you detailed low level acess if you want it at that level.
i think for general (non expert users) who want to try their hand at modding, it should help and be fun :) !
see how it works for you Noelemahc and see if it helps to streamline your workflow process next time :)
peace and keep up the great modding work!
Quoteit's actually an easier and quicker process using the program because, you can just use Photoshop or PSP, and just save your image as a BMP file with the normal colors...
... think for general (non expert users) who want to try their hand at modding, it should help and be fun
This is what is appealing to me, since I'm a definitely a non-expert modder but I am a Photoshop expert... Can't wait to try it tonight.
Josh
Got a problem here. Got a whole lot, ackshually, but I'm a stubborn maniac.
1. The CFG file has to have all the entries in alphabetical order, turns out. Ouchie. Didn't know that, I did.
2. The prog refuses to import anything fer me. If I use a BMP, nothing happens; if I use a DDS, it only inserts the first DDS and crashes, failing to modify the mips. What gives?
Are you SURE there are no prerequisites, like getting nVidia's command line DDS converter or anything?
For #1) actually i dont think you have to have anything alphabetically sorted in the CFG file. however, it might be case sensitive. ie. watch the lowercase and uppercase in the filename that you put there. it seems to load all the files i tried. Just try browsing for that filename, and hit the load button. if it displays the image in the box it got the info from the CFG file. otherwise, the offset for the main image could be off and the image wont display. or it's not getting the filename. Is there some error message that is coming up briefly flashing you can tell?
for #2) you shouldn't need any other utils to run it. it uses Direct X (which should be installed with the game) to generate the mips. however you might need the support DLLs supplied here:
http://www.nba2kstuff.org/nba/download/2006/support_wDOLFFIN.exe.htm
try installing that as it's extra DLLS that might not have been installed with Direct X in your system (also mfc.dll).
do you have the example lines in your CFG to try and the test files to check?
i can check here and see if it gets it. i'd recommed using the BMP file as input instead of the DDS as it saves some steps and a better test.
Just that hud_head_0201 line you composed, pasted into the END of the CFG. Causes the error message of the file not being defined in the CFG unless it is put in an alphabetical order. Bleh.
And the DLLs didn't help none, either.
QuoteIs there some error message that is coming up briefly flashing you can tell?
For the first, it simply shows your standard "file not defined in CFG" message. For the second, the readout in the command line window flashes past too fast for me to make anything out. Oops.
Bleh. For no apparent reason, the skinner itself, when used via the command line, works A-OK. Ah'm confused.
yes the reason most likely is depedning on how you installed the program. for the previous versions it was recommended to copy it to c:\windows. however, the GUI version maintains its own copy of muaskinner.cfg in its own installed location.
if you edit the muaskinner.cfg from the menu File->CFG Edit, or File-> CFG View menu in the skinner UI program, it will work, for sure. if you manually edit the one from the command line in c:\windows, only the command line version will work.
you must have editted the copy of muaskinner.cfg in c:\windows, instead of using the File->Config Edit, or File->Config View menu option to update that CFG file.
it's not that hard, and way easier than manually hex editing a binary for sure, especially for standard users.
Quotehowever, the GUI version maintains its own copy of muaskinner.cfg in its own installed location.
That would've been a sound explanation if it was the command line one giving me grief and not the other way around, mate. In case you didn't understand it, I edited the GUI one's CFG file via the GUI itself (I very much like to avoid putting stuff into the Windows dir if I can). Refused to change ANYTHING. So I found where the GUI has the CFG (in the bin subdir, turned out) and edited it again. And then it simply ignored entries appended to the end of the list.
Still doesn't explain why the file insertion via the GUI failed.
you may need an extra carriage return at the end of that file after you append a new line to it (blank line). perhaps that is why that is happening.
i've never had a problem adding a new line to the end of it.
maybe its the text editor you are using? i use ultraedit. what is the text file editor you use? if you can upload your version of the file CFG and IGB i can check here if i get the same error also. maybe there is a bug there i dont see.
also, in the next version i'll try to add as many file offsets as i can find and verify to it so general users wont have any problems with it tho.
edit:
the other thing you can check, is if you use the File->CFG View menu option, notepad should pop up. do your edit, and do a Save As, and see if it edits the file? it is a simple edit and it should get that, unless there is something being missed in there?
I use Notepad by default, and that's what the program gave me. The carriage return is something I didn't think of, though. Gonna try it later, see if that works out. Anyway, the command line version works for me and that should suffice for now, neh?
noel, your one of the most adept developers here. you should be able to get it to work so others can do it easily. i wrote that progam for you to make your job easier and as a by product to help less experinced modders to have some fun to do it easier.
please try to get the UI to work when you can? so we can have something easy and working for general users?
Fanx !!!!
Hi, I've been using the GUI MUASkinner to make Hud and Icon files, and it's a big help.
However, the icons are proving to be a bother.
I can extract/export the art file without trouble.
I then save as a .BMP with the 32bit A8R8G8B8 option set, and import it without any error messages, and it looks like its supposed to, both in TextureFinder and in MUASkinner. So far so good.
I start the game, and as soon as I select the character the icons apply to, the game crashes to desktop.
This happens with more than one character and more than one icon set, so I'm pretty sure it's not an error I'm making. If I revert back to the original icons, everythings fine, so obviously it's something I'm doing wrong, but what?
These are the values in my .cfg file, and they look OK to me(I had to alter them slightly from the Doc strange ones to get them to look OK):
drstr_icons.igb,RAGB,256,256,6217.
warbird_icons.igb,RAGB,256,256,6215.
lukecage_icons.igb,RAGB,256,256,6216.
I save in photoshop as a 32 bit BMP (A8R8G8B8), assuming that MUASkinner flips the channels around like it should.
Am I saving in the wrong format, or with the wrong settings?
Anyone else having this problem?
Nevermind, I found what I was doing wrong, and now it works fine.
3 cheers for NBA2K!