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Seiduna

custom clothes how to

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hello eternal people,

so, recently i got 1.9.4 version of EL, since old one stopped working.
i use gimp 2.8, with dds extention
and i am on gnu system.

on m$ windows you have my Docs/Eternal lands/custom/player/your_toon/your_meshes.dds
on gnu is simmilar ~/.elc/and the/rest of/the path/is same

before, i could put my meshes directly into /usr/share/games/eternal_lands/meshes
(on m$ wins would be program files/eternal lands/meshes)
and my meshes worked just fine, localy of course.

now, the procedure as i understand it, should be (on m$ wins)
copy mesh from Program files/Eternal lands/meshes/the_one_i_wanna_change.dds

to

my Docs/Eternal lands/custom/player/your_toon/the_one_i_wanna_change.dds
and play with it.

and when saving you should do overwrite, instead of export as...
(tho that did not matter before for me, i did exported, with no compresion and default format)

I would kindly ask for conformation:
copy mesh to your document/.../meshes folder,
open it with gimp and do no change, just overwrite it.

does it work?

Thank you

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It would be easier to answer if you gave a full path for the destination in your question...

And just stick to one OS for your exemples, please (easier to read, and less error-prone)

 

Though one thing springs to mind immediately:

- If you overwrite the file in "Program files/Eternal lands/meshes/", you overwrite the original file,

and there's no easy way to go back to the original (except of course copy from a backup);

- if you use "my Docs/Eternal lands/custom/player/<your_toon>/", you can switch back and forth

between the original and the customs from within the client (makes it easier to see subtle changes)

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revi

well, i hope that back up should be, no need to hit the keyboard, as i have to now, so please stop that.

also did you read my post?

COULD YOU TRY AND CAME BACK PLEASE?!?!?

yes, deliberate caps on, since i do not need spamming,
please try it out and came back.

if you do not understand what i am asking, i can elaborate,
but please, do not spam...

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If you overwrite the meshes in the programs folder, everyone gets that look (but only on your computer).

If you save the modified meshes to the "custom/player/charname" folder, only the character for whom you make it (can be any char, not just "your_toon") gets the changes. Using the customs folder is the preferred way, since you are not supposed to change the official meshes .

Edited by Maxine

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ok, let me be clear and repeat myself:

 

I would kindly ask for conformation:
copy mesh to your document/.../meshes folder,
open it with gimp and do no change, just overwrite it.

does it work?

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ok, let me be clear and repeat myself:

 

I would kindly ask for conformation:

copy mesh to your document/.../meshes folder,

open it with gimp and do no change, just overwrite it.

 

does it work?

 

Repeating yourself isn't making your question any more clear.

 

Are you asking if other people can overwrite files on their computer? Are you asking if gimp's default .dds export settings work?

 

Z

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so you people do not understand,
that is understandable,
if you do not understand i can try a different angle:

people that do custom, read on,
others please do not read on;

i needED of you to try out a mesh and came back to me,
any mesh, and confirm that it works for you.

is that simple? i need you to TRY and make a mesh.

and if you are still reading, do not even bother trying,
i got help from zil and made my mesh working...

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Just for future reference in case anyone has a similar problem:

 

Gimp's DDS extension does not export .dds files with mipmaps (lower resolution versions of the texture) by default. This isn't a problem except when the 'Poor Man' settings are turned on, in which case the game will use a lower resolution texture... Since the lower resolution textures don't exist if not exported, the given piece just shows up as all-white.

 

Z

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ok, let's get started

To make custom clothing you need an Open Source application called Gimp,
(it is not free as in free beer, but it is free as in Freedom of speech,
so you can download it freely and install it, use it for any purpose you see fit).

Also you will need a plugin for Gimp, the DDS extension.

Gnu users can do the same, but if you compile Gimp make sure you use appropriate use flag for dds plugin.

Also, to see any custom clothes, you have to opt-in custom clothes in Option panel in EL, and update it.

Once you have Gimp installed it is time to understand the file structure:
On Windows you have Eternal Lands installed in
Program Files(x86)/Eternal Lands and the folder we are interested in is called meshes.
In that folder there is a folder named meshes, and in it are stored pictures, called meshes.
You do NOT want to change anything here, in fact, make a backup of that folder, in case you accidentally store your meshes there...

The next folderS(!) of importance do not exist, you have to make them.
In your Documents/Eternal Lands/ folder you should make a folder structure like so:
custom/player/your_toon_name/meshes/
Note that all folders are in lower cases!

For gnu users, EL mesh folder is usually in /usr/share/games/eternal-lands/meshes if you used your distro packet manager,
or if you downloaded installer script from EL website it is in the same folder you ran that script,
and your working folder is in ~/.elc/ folder (here you make folders custom/player/your_toon_name/meshes/)



Next step is to COPY the mesh you want to change from:
Program Files(x86)/Eternal Lands/meshes/mesh_you_want_to_change.dds
to:
Documents/Eternal Lands/custom/player/your_toon_name/meshes/mesh_you_want_to_change.dds

Gnu users from:
/usr/share/games/eternal-lands/meshes/mesh_you_want_to_change.dds
to:
~/.elc/custom/player/your_toon_name/meshes/mesh_you_want_to_change.dds



Now you have the file you can work on.
Notice that this meshes will show only on your computer,
to have other players see it you will have to use one of the services,
which I will explain at the end.


Now it is time to open Gimp and open copied file from:
Documents/Eternal Lands/custom/player/your_toon_name/meshes/mesh_you_want_to_change.dds
As you open it, Gimp will ask you if you want to open mipmaps as well.
Do NOT open mipmaps!!!
We will work with just one layer for now.
So here you make your changes to your clothes.

If you added any extra layers, make sure you MERGE all layers before saving.

When you are done, it is time to save it.
You have to EXPORT file (so NO save), to your Documents/Eternal Lands/custom/player/your_toon_name/meshes/ folder
First it will ask you if you want to overwrite, you choose yes.
Than another panel appears where you set compression: none.
Next, on same panel you HAVE TO choose TO generate mipmaps,
this is important since not all people have latest graphic card,
or they play on laptop, or have couple of alts running around,
and they use Poor Man settings, and in this case EL will use those generated mipmaps.
Every next save you can do just export, and it will save it with your choosed settings from above
(you won't have to choose overwrite and mipmaps every export)

To see your changes you have to enter/exit some door/map in EL.

Here is a video of using Gimp, watch it in HD:




Once you are satisfied with your product, it is time to make it available for other players to see.
Go to Documents/Eternal Lands/custom/player/ and make a zip file of you_toon_name folder.
Name it by your toon name, with lower cases: my_toon_name.zip

Services that provide custom clothings can be found here:
http://el-wiki.net/Custom_clothes
Since there is only Sir_Odie's atm, let us go with that:
Go to PL 212,63 and donate to Krosis 1000 gc

You have to make your zip file available to Sir_Odie,
either by uploading the file to some server and forwarding the link to him,
or pm him and make necessary arrangements so he gets your zipped file.

Usually Sir_Odie is nice and he gives feedback that he uploaded your files to server,
but if he does not it does not matter, you have to UPDATE custom clothes in order to have it work for you.
In fact, if someone does not see your new clothes they have to update their custom clothes.

Now you can delete custom folder from your Documents/Eternal Lands/ folder.

I believe that is it.

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This is a really solid guide. Turns out I'd been advising people to not export with mipmaps because I misunderstood a video I watched years ago, and assumed that since you don't use mipmaps to import, you also don't export them. I never noticed the issue because I have never used poor man. I do suggest if you're going to be making customs, to try to check it without poor man on, there is a big difference.

I've gone and checked all the customs I remember doing, and it looks like Odie has added mipmaps to them. So, no issues with what has already been uploaded to odie's server. It's only local files that haven't been uploaded yet which have issues with poor man without mipmaps.

 

I would like to add one small thing to editing in GIMP. Once you have merged all your layers into 1 single layer, make sure you right click the layer in the layers window, and select 'Layer to image size.' This will crop any part of the layer that extends past the image dimensions to the right size. If you have part of the layer extending past the image edge, the custom will appear blank white.

 

When you do #update, I suggest having only 1 character on until it's done (sir_odie's directions also say to do this). Otherwise you'll see some white custom meshes, it just gets screwed up. #update_status will tell you what % is done.

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thank you hatwood

 

all other inputs are welcome, as you put yours,

and I hope more custom makers will step down from their throne

and put their valuable knowladge into this thread.

 

i am just sick of lack of info on custom, and nobody knows everything, but if we step together...

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Seiduna: Now that the errors are worked out, do you want to create a new thread specifically to compile resources for customs? I think it might be time we had one! The info here might be buried in all of the replies. If you start a new thread, just copy and paste the stuff you wrote for the post above, and I'll do my best to add in some tips after your post.

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oi hatwood,

 

kjah, the title of thread is custom how to, and i also hoped that in one thread there should be all, a lot, or most of the stuff that WE know.

i see no reason for openning another thread, this one shoud do nicely...

 

if people mind reading i do not think you or i can make a button on which they can click and the custum will be made...

 

if you desire so, you are free to do it, i think i gave all i have atm.

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