What free tools are you using?

[+1977Frenchie]

Hi to all modders down here!

 

I used to do skins just for fun back in the days of Pacific Fighters, but now i would like to attack some birds in SF2, especially doing RACF one's. I am far from beiing an expert but i will need a few basic tips :)

 

First, there is WAY too much BMP's in the root and i would like to change them to PNG or JPG. I do know how to do this in a ''batch'' with Office Picture Manager. But what are you using to change the entries in the LOD files so the change can take effect? Do i have to do something in the .SHD, .TGA and .TOD files also?

 

Second, is there a very easy tool to use for skinning in order to do smooth lines, effects, etc? Does the default program in Win10 could do the job?

 

Thanks for your help guys!

[yakarov79]

You can not change entries in LOD file. However if LOD file got asigned bmp in max, game will read bmp and also jpg skin for this LOD file.

As for rhe shd not much to change there.

Tga files (canopies, propelers)- here you can change with new one with different transparency etc.

[KJakker]

The game's EXE file will read ICO, DDS, JPEG, JPG, TGA, and BMP formats and the Aircraft and GroundObject DLL reference DDS, JPG, TGA, and BMP files. As such the game should read any of these.

 

If for some reason a case where a LOD file needed to reference a specific file format, BMP for example, you could try creating a backup of the LOD then the open the LOD with a Hex Editor, find the referenced skin name and change the format to one of the other game recognized formats.  

[Wrench]

just to clear this this up once and for all ...

 

even LODs that internally reference BMPs for their skins WILL read and load jpg for said skins. This has been proven, and done hundreds of times

There is absolutely NO need to (hex) edit a LOD.

Ever

[+russouk2004]

No need for old shd files wither now,as game calculates the shadows now