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- Check every existing model and check which ones are "duplicates" - eg; ashto_011, ashto_012 and ashto_013 are the same model but reference different parts of the tower texture file.
- Using the silver / closest to grey DDS file we convert to PLT and divide up into layers:
- Metal 1 - primary metal area
- Metal 2 - any secondary metal areas
- Cloth 1 - primary wood area (eg wooden shields wood)
- Cloth 2 - secondary wood area
- Leather 1 - primary leather area (eg straps)
- Leather 2 - secondary leather area
- Rename model files - eg; to "tower" so "tower_001.mdl" - this means renaming the PLT files to match
- For shields with specific heraldry - we just copy over the DDS file to the new naming convention so if it is tower_010.mdl which is the daggerford heraldry we use that file naming convention for the main DDS
- Add icon PLTs Add icon PLTs (dummy when it's an existing item) and, for some reason, the toolset needs TGA files as well (to add to builders pack). Can use a 1x1 tga for this to save space. Example name: itower_001.tga / plt
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- Keep the same model names, eg ashto - tower shields;
- This is a bit dodgy - sure custom content that adds new shields technically will sorta load, but it will probably not work correctly since the "bitmap" field is ignored
- It also assumes a clean namespace which isn't always the case due to Bioware testing models 001 with some stuff sometimes
- New model names - this is a "clean break" but breaks all compatibility, eg: "shtow_" or similar
- Can copy ID's to retain the same blueprint compatibility - eg; 011 still is the silver shield variant, with DDS/TGA textures
- This helps due to the dodgy thing with bitmap field essentially becoming ignored
Decided: Going for keeping the same names to make the "override" version of overhaul a lot easier.
However there are some bugs (to be reported to Beamdog):
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We could technically include some kind of PLT icon, maybe impersonating the model, so it makes it easier to view, but again only for development purposes.
Examples of Final Files (DDS and PLT)
Type is PLT if new PLT format and DDS if we're redoing an old item with full textures. final files:
| Model ID | Type | Screenshot | Texture Name (Model) | Material Name and Files | Icon Texture Name (Game) | Icon Texture Name (Toolset only) | Source(s) |
|---|
| Notes |
|---|
| ashto_ |
| 241.mdl | PLT |
| ashto_ |
| 241.plt | m_ |
op_ashto.mtr texture1 t_op_ |
ashto_n.dds texture2 t_op_ |
ashto_s.dds texture3 t_op_ |
ashto_r.dds |
| iashto_ |
| 241.plt |
| iashto_ |
| 241.tga |
| ashto_ |
| 063.mdl | DDS |
| ashto_ |
| 063.dds | m_dag_ |
twshld.mtr |
texture1 dag_ |
twshld_n |
texture2 dag_ |
twshld_s |
texture3 dag_ |
twshld_r |
ashto_ |
063.dds |
iashto_ |
ishs_002.plt
Shield Resources List
Small
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063.plt (unused) | iashto_063.tga |
Example screenshot of one of Miqail's shields with PLT textures:
baseitems.2da information
Lines changed:
- The MinRange is left at 10 and MaxRange set to 255.
- Same ItemClass used
- DefaultIcon set to just the usual icon names without the numbers. This however probably isn't really needed (ie is never used by the game), if all the files work fine...
Texture Information
Material file: m_ItemClass.mtr
Textures: t_op_ItemClass_n.dds etc.
Shield Resources List
See subpages.
Large
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