HaloMods "Classic" Read-only Archive

Pro Skinning
Written by Zone 117 of Team Remapped 6/4/07



Stuff Needed:

• Entity 1.3.9
• Multiple Bitmap Internalizer
• Java
• Adobe Photoshop CS2
• NVIDIA DDS Photoshop Plug-in

• • The Maps:
  • Your Multiplayer Map
  • Mainmenu.map
  • Single_player_shared.map
  • Shared.map

Information:

• This is the best, proper, professional way to skin a map.
• Credit to XboxPlayer for asking me to write this and for the files.xboxsoftmods account

Step 1: Getting Ready

• First off, you need to choose the bitmap you want to skin.
• Open your map in Entity.
• Go to the bitm tagclass.
• Scroll through the tags, to the right you will see the selected bitmap.
• Select your bitmap, at the bottom right you will see "Location:"
• If the location is anywhere besides "Internal," you must internalize it.
• If it needs to be internalized continue with step 2. If not, skip step 2.
  

Step 2: Internalizing the Bitmap

• Open Multiple Bitmap Internalizer.
  • The program is a .jar file, Winrar or some other archive program might try to open it when you click it.
  • If so, right click, "Open With," "Choose Program," select "Java Platform."
  • If you can't see "Java Platform," make sure you have it installed, then hit "browse," and find it in your "program files."
• It will ask for your map, mainmenu, shared, and single_player_shared. You need all of them.
• Select the bitmap tag your choose on Entity.
• Click "Add Tag."
• Click "Internalize."
• Ok, all done. Close this program.
  

Step 3: Extracting the Bitmap

• Open Entity.
• Go to your bitmap tag.
• Click the blue plus button at the top right.
• Click "Save Bitmap."
• Remember: At the bottom you will see "Bitmap Format." Whatever format it is, remember it.

Step 4: "Skinning" the Bitmap

• Make sure the NVIDIA DDS Photoshop Plug-in is installed.
• Open Adobe Photoshop CS2.
• Go to "File" then "Open."
• Select the DDS file you saved with Entity.
• Do whatever changes you want to it.
  

Step 5: Saving the Bitmap

• When you are done, make sure you only have 1 layer. If there are more than 1, right click and hit merge all.
• Now go to "File" then "Save."
• Remember the bitmap format in Entity, select it before hitting save. In my case it was in DXT3 format.

Step 6: Injecting the Bitmap

• Open Entity.
• Select the Bitmap you chose.
• Click the blue plus button at the top right.
• Click "Inject."
• Select the bitmap your saved and edited.
• Click "Sign" at the bottom right.
• All done.
  

No one has thanked you for this? I already knew how to skin but I respect the tutorial 100% man, Very very detailed for those who need to learn, amazing tutorial zone, like all of yours lol.

I was looking for a skinning tutorial. It looks like I found it!!!

Thanks Zone for getting us noobs up to speed! Much thanks!!!



Regards,
wantin2mod

Your one of the most respected modders ever. Are you someone in disguise? How come I've never heard of you since 5 months ago.

I don't think so, he just seems like a pretty quick learner that is good at writing tutorials.

Not on that, he makes his tutorials so cool, that green and gray. And thats not only hes written like 3 apps that are pretty uber. My opinion lies with him as the best.

fantastic tutorial. It was very detailed and instructive. A great tutorial for people who don't know how to skin.

like me

great tut

im gunna go do that right now

How would i null a bitmap??

Senor_Grunt wrote:How would i null a bitmap??

Find the shader that it's in, and then null the dependency to it. ADI's reverse dependency mode is a good way to do this.

wait...........i have photoshop 7.0
i cant use that?? >_<

Hey,

I'm following your instructions to the "T" but when I try to load up the map in Halo 2, I get "Failed to load map" error.

What am I doing wrong. I am being very deliberate in following your tutorial yet I keep getting this error.

What should I do?


Regards,
wantin2mod

It would seem you forgot to sign the map.

That is what I thought at first. But after 5 simple skinning 'tests', I get the same result each time.

I even used the same example as he did in his tutorial. The map is signed...at least I signed it using entity.

Being new to skinning and modding of maps in general, I've no idea what is wrong. Even after searching many threads.


Stumped,
wantin2mod

Well, trying to access the previously modded maps again using Entity, I get an error that does not allow the map to open...at all. Doesn't even try. Other (clean/non-modded) maps open fine.

I'm following this tutorial exact. It seems as if the maps I'm trying to mod are getting corrupted. Anyone have an idea on why?


Regards,
wantin2mod

Ah ha! Got it! Had to do a little juggling yet got this skinning tutorial to work and to "Load the map".

I switched back to Entity version 1.3.1 from 1.3.9 and used a different resigner to get the map to load.

btw, I was trying to skin the dune map from my tdata folder. I don't know if that caused the "Map failed to load" problems or what but it's working now.

Cool looking skins might I add...

Very Nice.

Regards,
wantin2mod

this is a very good tut but i can't figure out why i can't open the .DDS file in photoshop i have downloaded everything and i am a total noob at this. so if you can help me i will be very happy

nvm i think i found out the problem