Reskinning Vehicle(s)

[Xplorer4x4]

I have the same problem, and we all do I assume. What I do in such a case, is either suck it up and do it, then go back with the brush and touch up, say a black part that now has a lighter shade of color to it, and return it to block. Otherwise you can try to use paint brush to, for example, outline the door handle completely putting a ring of blue or whatever main color you need. Then when you go to use the paint bucket it shouldnt hurt the door handle.

[eggcarton]

I normally make a copy of the the details - door handles etc. and go around them carefully while using the paintbucket on the car. When I am done I just put the door handles back where they came from.

[Foehammer]

This is my new problem, I made a new texture on the black UMPC. Everything looks peachy when I'm in paint looking at it, the decals match up to the rear wheel well, the state trooper fits on the front fine, I did not move anything but when I go into editor it's all moved like this. Looks like a tire on the trunk. Not sure what I did other than simply paint the vehicle blue then import a layer (the stripes and badge) when I imported those I flatened the image after getting them in position. Other than that I added text this time to the rear bumper and on the front panels that's why the state trooper is readable on this one but not on my tahoe. Anyone know what the problem is with this?

Edit- I got impatient and decided to trash that and start over, I keep the original file in case something goes wrong. But now I can put the default black vic in game and it plays fine, when I go to paint it wont open it though it acts like it's locked, and when I do the stuff to open it in editor it says "Could not write file" when I try to unpack, and when I try to pack it I get "File is already packed"

[BritishArmyReserveCadets]

i have a slight problem....

i change the name of the DDS file, it was cv_lapd , now it is cv_lapd22.v3o, but it stays as a dds file, how can i put it as V3O, ive read the tutorial but....not work

[Eddieman]

Ok I am new here and I am looking for some help. For some reason I have no clue how to convert anything to V30 or to dds (I think that is what it is) as I am lost when it comes to that for reskinning to make things look like my city and state. If anyone could help me out that would be great and I would greatly appreciate it alot.

~~~~~~ I would just like to say that after 7 hours I finally figured it out, did my first vehicle for my state and it looks great......All I am going to say is patients.....seriously alot of patients and trial and error.~~~~~ Will post pic of it later if anyone is interested and if anyone needs help I can help you out. I do wanna say this......GIMP works great for reskinning

[Guest krst6954]

I have problems with renaming .v3o back to .dds file. I read tutorial about this, but when I'm in editor, load la modification, unpack the .v3o file whick I'll use, in the tutorial is said to rename it back to .dds but I'dont know how to do it, I meam how to rename this file in editor?

Mod:Models\Vehicles\03 LA Police\

Find your renamed dds which for the example is cv_chpt.v3o and press ok, this will unpack the file so you may edit it.

Now you need to rename the file back to dds, in order for the vehicle model file to recognize the texture be sure to rename it back to what it originally was, which in this example is cv_chp.dds

Edited August 29, 2010 by krst6954

[Texas_DPS]

when you go to unpack the file, change it from .v3o to .dds. Like this

mod:Models/Vehicles/01 LA Ambulance/ambulance01.v3o to mod:Models/Vehicles/01 LA Ambulance/ambulance01.dds

then click unpack.

[Guest krst6954]

when you go to unpack the file, change it from .v3o to .dds. Like this

mod:Models/Vehicles/01 LA Ambulance/ambulance01.v3o to mod:Models/Vehicles/01 LA Ambulance/ambulance01.dds

then click unpack.

To do this in the editor? I can't do it, because write me an error that the file does not exist

Edited August 29, 2010 by krst6954

[Texas_DPS]

what are you trying to unpack

[Guest krst6954]

Takes 30 minutes to figure out where I am wrong but I finally managed, Thanks for the nice tutorial and help. Now I only need to learn to do good reskinks

Edited August 29, 2010 by krst6954

[Guest RedBravo]

I reskined engine1 and I am having trouble converting it back to DDS. Its in the DDS 2.1 converter and succeeds every time but the file shows something on the icon of fire_engine1.dds, it looks like a lock. Not sure if i am skipping a step, but it shows it as a DDS file after converting it back but in editor mode fire engine is all white.

[Chax]

An important note to those that are trying and not succeeding: If you are using Vista (not sure about 7), you MUST run the E4/911FR editor as an administrator.

[Guest RedBravo]

An important note to those that are trying and not succeeding: If you are using Vista (not sure about 7), you MUST run the E4/911FR editor as an administrator.

im using win7 and files creates to DDS with no errors in DDS converter but the icons don't look the same it looks like a lock on top of icon of fire_engine1.dds file? is the a special way to convert the file back after editing it?

[Chax]

Hmmm. So you convert the DDS to some other type of file to edit it?

If so, I'd assume you'd just find a reverse converter. You'd need to follow the instructions to unlock the dds file, convert it to another file type (let's just say jpg for grins), edit it, and then convert it back from jpg to dds. The converter might have a reverse-conversion tool, or you could try searching google for "*filetype I used* to dds converter".

[Xplorer4x4]

Why use dds converter when you can load dds files right in to paint.net or gimp and there both free. Not to mention more powerful then paint.

[Guest RedBravo]

ya first i used the DDS converter to convert the file to bmp edited it with paint then changed it back to DDS format. Then i tried again with DDS converter changed file to psd edited it with photoshop and changed it back to DDS format. But file still looks the same shows lock on file icon.

[Guest RedBravo]

I figured it out and got engines skinned, tnxs for the help Chax, but having trouble converting water_tender and usfs_engine keep getting an error. Ill try gimp or paint.net, tnxs for the response Xplore4x4

[Xplorer4x4]

Keep in mind you do have to unlock the dds files to load them, but much better then messing with DDS converter imo.

[Guest RedBravo]

Keep in mind you do have to unlock the dds files to load them, but much better then messing with DDS converter imo.

what do you mean unlock them, through EM4 editor?

[Xplorer4x4]

yes

[Guest RedBravo]

yes

i unlocked them but still cant open it in gimp or DDS Converter, do i need to unlock ever file connected to water_tender and usfs_engine?

Didnt have a problem with engines 1-5, USSR or aerial.

or do these files have problems?

[matte31]

But if the vehicle have 2 sides? If i write police on one it says ecilop on the other.. How to fix that?

[randomperson139]

But if the vehicle have 2 sides? If i write police on one it says ecilop on the other.. How to fix that?

Flip the image and put police on the side then flip it back.

[matte31]

Doesnt work, just stand police on the side that it stand ecilop on before. And ecilop on the side it stand police..

[randomperson139]

Doesnt work, just stand police on the side that it stand ecilop on before. And ecilop on the side it stand police..

It will but when the skin is on a vehicle ingame it will read police correctly. Try it and see what happens