More Help

[pyrofreak]

My two questions are simple, and skinning related

1.) I've read the reskinning tutorial in and out, I've studied it like a book, and I'm still confused. So I figured maybe someone can tell me if I'm doing something wrong.

For this example I'll be using fire engine 1

1.) I load up the editor, and the mod

2.) I click unpack, scroll to the LA Fire Department, and unpack the fire_engine1.v30

3.) I move the file to my desktop

4.) I open up the .dds converter (downloaded from this site), and find my file on the desktop

This is where I have issues, the .dds converter won't let me convert the file, and I can't open my unpacked files in paint.net. Now I know the files are being unpacked because if I attempted to unpack the file again it will say that file has already been unpacked. So, I'm confused. Everyone makes it sound so easy, just do this and this will happen. If it's so easy what am I missing!?

2.) Also! Are lights connected with the .v30 files? I loaded a skin onto another mod and I noticed the lights didn't change over. So I was wondering if they are connected with the .v30 files.

Mostly, I care about Q #1 I've done a crap ton of research and continue to run into a wall so I'm hoping someone can help me unpack files.

[erfd]

1) try changing the v3o extension to dds by editing the name. That's what I did.

1) try changing the v3o extension to dds by editing the name. That's what I did.

[Reece.c]

2) I don't think the lights are connected with the v30. files.

[MikeyPI]

the lights are attatched to the prototype file not the model... you have to edit the prototype to resolve that.

Skinning issue is probrably because you just unpacked the MODEL file, not the DDS, you have to rename the DDS file to a v3o to unpack it, then rename it back to a DDS in order for a dds converter to read em., right click on your V3O and open it with notepad; if the thing has these lines to it..

[VNUM=1.43]

[NUMSURFACES=3]
[NUMVERTICES=2249]
[NUMBLENDVERTS=0]
[NUMPOLYGONS=2932]
[NUMBONES=0]
[NUMMUSCLEANIMS=0]
[NUMMUSCLEFRAMES=0]
Continues on...

Its the model file not the texture file, a texture file will not have this

[pyrofreak]

Ugh these things make me feel oh so stupid, I know it's something small I'm missing. I've been working on JoseOu LED Light Bar mod, which I don't think makes a difference. However, I tried twice and I've noticed I'm still not getting anywhere.

I've unpacked the engine2.v30 (it said already unpacked if I attempt to do it again)

I've moved the file to the desktop

I've changed the engine2.v30 to .dds

I've opened the converter, and I noticed the converter won't give me the option to convert

Also, I noticed if I attempt to open other .dds files in paint it says "there was an unspecified error when trying to open this file". I assume that means the file wasn't unpacked, but I'm not sure either. It's annoying because I've re-read your (Mikeys) reskinning tut and I still can't seem to open a file :'(

[MikeyPI]

Are you certain you are re-tagging the DDS file in the same folder as the v3o to v3o?

I'm unsure whether or not you've tried to open the V3O in notepad... I need to know if you've verified you are indeed working the DDS file and NOT the original real model v3o.

The DDS temporarilly becomes a V3O so that it may be unpacked via the editor, THEN you must rename it back to DDS in order to proceed with unpacking the DDS file.

Let me know a bit more clearly how far along you've gotten.

[pyrofreak]

I'll restate, like I said before I'm editing some of JoseOu engines (I like the LED light bars).

When I open the fire department model folder I see these files

fire_engine2.dds
fire_engine2.V3O
fire_engine2_2.dds
fire_engine2_door01.V3O
fire_engine2_door02_v3O
fire_engine2_wheel.v3O
fire_engine2LED2.v3O

If I open the fire_engine2.dds or fire_engine2_2.dds in a note pad then no I don't see the

[VNUM=1.43]

[NUMSURFACES=3]
[NUMVERTICES=2249]
[NUMBLENDVERTS=0]
[NUMPOLYGONS=2932]
[NUMBONES=0]
[NUMMUSCLEANIMS=0]
[NUMMUSCLEFRAMES=0]

However, I still can't open those two files in paint.net it says "there was an unspecified error while opening the file", now I can unpack the .V3O files fine ( it says I've upacked them if I try again). The issue I seem to be having is when I go to name them to .dds files I'm told it could become unusable, and the converter is unable to find the files still. So that's where I appear to be lost, or so I think.

[MikeyPI]

Here is my theory, I am unsure IF this author actually did pack the DDS as hoppah did, however ensure that you've enabled the ability to rename the extensions in windows (I figure you have Vista/7)

Under folder options in Windows Explorer goto the View Tab...

untick hide extensions for known file types...

This will actually change the extension...

The other thing I can suggest aside from attempting to use a DDS converter to open the DDS prior to renaming it V3O would be to use a DDS converter, perhaps for whatever reason somewhere along the line the DDS structure was corrupted by all the things you've done to it?

I am unsure if people can lock a DDS file, I believe you can protect them so they can't be tampered with, if this is what that user did you'd need them to supply a raw version of the file that isnt encrypted.