How change existing units textures?

[Pabelos]

Like in topic I come here to find out how to change existing units textures??? I found units textures in destination: zips\textures.zip\cache\texcache, and for example I want to edit samurai textures so I have two files for that: CIV1_Samurai_Japanese.texcache and CIV1_Samurai_Japanese_pc.texcache but I don't know how to edit them and pack back to these texcache format, plz help. Btw thank you Mona for how change unit icons tip, now I know how to do it

[Dr.MonaLisa]

I'm not sure if it would work for replacing textures, but first you need to export textcache to .tga or .dds format.

Please read: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=5086
And the link to: "NifSkope - Tool for 3D models in EE2": viewtopic.php?f=54&t=5097 (The Nifskope version that works the best with EE2).

After you open the .textcache file with Nifskope, click with the right mouse button on the first block (NiPixelData), and select Texture -> Export.

Screenshot 2021-01-27 182545.png (19.85 KiB) Viewed 1402 times

You can then save the exported texture to any folder inside "zips" folder. UP1.5 uses "textures_150" for it, but you can create another one not to get lost, for example: "textures_Pabelos".

Theoretically, the game should read new textures in the priority to textcache, but I don't know... Maybe I remember it wrongly.

[Pabelos]

Yes I have NifSkope, thank you very much for that advices I will try it next time And btw plz in what file is saved info about what textures unit uses?? it will be very helpful when I create new textures

[Dr.MonaLisa]

In .ddf files inside "Units" folder in db.zip / db_155.zip. For AOS it's obviously different, but easy to figure out.

[Pabelos]

Hi Mona Yesterday I eperiment a little bit and find out that in that .ddf files in "Units" folder in db.zip / db_155.zip theres no info about what textures unit uses so I came up with an idea that maybe its saved somewhere in nifcache file (unit model file) and answer is: YES!!!!

Heres some steps what need to do:
1.Open your desire unit model, for example samurai in NifSkope and click on 0 NiNode:

1.png (71.68 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

2.Click on 3 NiLODNode:

2.png (72.78 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

3.Than I click on 4 NiTriShape and scroll down a little bit:

3.png (75.06 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

4.Last click on 6 NiTexturingProperty and u will see what texture that model uses its CIV1_Samurai_Japanese.tga:

4.png (81.21 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

And I extracted that texture from of course CIV1_Samurai_Japanese_pc.texcache and CIV1_Samurai_Japanese.texcache and modify them a little bit, saved as tga by help of Paint.net software and place them in: zips\textures_150 and after that I deleted that .texcache files from zips\textures.zip\cache\texcache and voila it works, as a proof here some screen from gameplay with changed samurai mask by me:

EE2X_ScreenShot_2021-01-28_12.12.43.739.jpg (237.74 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

And of course my test textures:

CIV1_Samurai_Japanese.rar

(161.25 KiB) Downloaded 98 times

Btw thx Mona for your help and I look forward to further cooperation

[Dr.MonaLisa]

Did you read RGV's guide about units adding? viewtopic.php?p=19613#p19613
Might be very helpful for new modders.

[Pabelos]

Thank you very much and btw now I know how to change textures of existing units. Texture name that is used by unit is included in nifcache file Thx again Mona I will study that in free time.

[Dr.MonaLisa]

No problem. Glad that it worked.

By the way, I don't think you need to update .nif files. I think .tga / .dds textures with the same name would be read in priority from zips/some_folder.

[Pabelos]

Yes you have right there's no need to update nif file, Im just use it in NifSkope to know whats textures name it using for model and Im created the textures(extracted from files: CIV1_Samurai_Japanese_pc.texcache & CIV1_Samurai_Japanese.texcache and edit samurai mask) with thats .tga extension and copy that to zips\textures_150 and delete from textures.zip that files: CIV1_Samurai_Japanese_pc.texcache and CIV1_Samurai_Japanese.texcache

[Dr.MonaLisa]

No need to delete from textures.zip (I think). The game will ignore it, if it exists in folder textures_150. You might also like to use different folder name than textures_150 not to get confused with your own modifications.