PKchu wrote...
That is extremely helpful Dead Meat. Thanks for taking the time typing that all up.
I'm gonna get to work and see what I can accomplish. Thanks.
EDIT: Also, I am using an up to date Photoshop, so I can follow those instructions.
I check the thread often. If you have questions, let me know. And I'm certain that others may have different techniques and you may figure some things out I didn't. I know that as my techniques have become more refined, and I've become more capable I've gone back and updated my earlier mods. First and foremost concentrate on the texture. When that is accomplished we'll work on getting the diffuse and normal maps put together. If you haven't got it already, you might want to download the DirectX SDK. You'll need that for normal maps later on. It also has the benefit of telling you what the texture originally was. DXT1 with 1-bit alpha, or DXT5 etc. Most are DXT1 with 1-bit alpha, or DXT5 with interpolated alpha channels. Normal maps are Signed 16-bit V8U8. A format that Photoshop does not handle correctly. And check your alpha channel data of the original file. Make sure it doesn't have any data in it before you strip that out. Though all the game textures are saved out of Texmod with an alpha channel, there is often no data and you can eliminate it entirely.
I'm always lucky though and nearly every armor I've done actually has an alpha channel with data in it. So most of mine are DXT5 and not DXT1. You make the wrong choice you'll know it right away.
As a note, you typically need to capture 3 textures when you do squad mate armors. Texture, diffuse, and normal map. And don't forget the squad mate helmets. Tali's is built in, but the rest are separate. This is a matter of personal taste, but it seems silly in areas where helmets are mandatory in the game and they are low resolution trash while the rest of the squad mates armor is awesome. Some squad mates like Vega may have additional textures. He's got one that's shared between his armor and Shepard's. I'm not entirely certain what it is for. Ultimately I just upscaled it and cleaned it up. Not sure what it's for but my Shepard N7 Defender mod contains it and so will my Vega mods. In fact all versions of the Defender armor in SP contain this texture. Even the BF3 armor does I believe. Though it has an additional texture which I black out to eliminate the fire effect as I think it's silly.
Modifié par Dead_Meat357, 28 septembre 2012 - 08:38 .
Retour en haut
Very nice. I know that it isn't the easiest texture to work with. I ended up doing the Revenant and a new Harrier instead. On the other hand, I may have finally figured out a passable look for the Normandy's windows. I'll let you know after I've tested it.
... Do not worry, you have shared with us many great MODs.
