changing your skin? HELP

hoopyfrood · Post by **hoopyfrood** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:00 pm

I feel somewhat embarassed asking this but I can't seem to figure out how to use the .vpk tools. I've read about moving skins between model files but I have not been able to open the pack files. Does tool allow you to access them from the windows browser or do you make all the changes in the vpk tool window? I've used the tool to extract the files but can't figure out where to go from there. If someone could point out where I've gone wrong or refer me to a previous post I'd appreciate it. Thanks for the help.

OuterParadise · Post by **OuterParadise** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 3:16 am

After u've extracted a file with the tool, THAT file will end up in the Vampire\ directory(note: it makes its' own folders inside the Vampire\ directory when extracted, these folders are the same as the ones this extracted file was inside in the vpk pack).
You need the model files for the skin u want to use, and the model files for the armors for ur clan, then replace the armor model files with the custom one(the one u want to use) by renaming them to the same as the armor ones.

These are the entries u need for a skin to work:

.dx7_2bone.vtx
.dx80.vtx
.mdl
.phy

ex :
jeanette.dx7_2bone.vtx
jeanette.dx80.vtx
jeanette.mdl
jeanette.phy

hoopyfrood · Post by **hoopyfrood** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:07 am

problem

That's what I tried before but no folder is appearing in the Vampire/ directory.

hoopyfrood · Post by **hoopyfrood** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:12 am

thanks

I think I've got it now. Thanks for your help. You really know where your towel is

Moon Maiden · Post by **Moon Maiden** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:53 am

Oh Oh, I wanna know how to do it too

Please, don't be afraid to explain it to me like you would explain it to a five year old. That's about the age level I'm at when it comes to computers. I would love to walk about with Jeanette's skin (eww...sounds gross put like that), but I don't understand all that computer "jargon". Could someone help the hopeless?
Moon Maiden

OuterParadise · Post by **OuterParadise** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:56 am

No worries, I'll fill u in.

First of all, u need a VPK Extractor:

Bloodlines Swiss Army Knife

or

VPK Tool

Right now I'd recommend the VPK Tool, it has more features right now including an "Extract All" Function.
Mordred(The creator of Swiss Army Knife) is busy nowadays so he hasn't been able to work on his tool very much.

Instructions on custom skins(Copied text from this thread , I think this thread explains the instructions in a decent way):

"In the Models folder pick your favorite Model Skin or skins, ill explain using one, which you allow you to make a different Model Skin for each armor if you wish.
Say you like Jeanette and you're playing Malkavian and you want her appearance for all your different Model Skins, everyone basically gets 4, cause each armor in the game is really a Model Skin.
So Vampire\Models\Charater\Npc\Unique\Santa_Monica\Jeanette you get
jeanette.dx7_2bone.vtx
jeanette.dx80.vtx
jeanette.mdl
jeanette.phy
Then go to Models\Character\PC\Female\Malkavian you get \armor0 - \armor3.
Next copy all 4 of Jeanette's files into each of the 4 armor folders \armor0 - \armor3.
Next rename all 4 of Jeanette's files in \armor0 to the name of the original files which are now located in \armor0\1 which you can easily reference.
Next do the same for \armor1 rename all Jeanette's files to the names of the originals.
Do the same for \armor2 and \armor3, your finished start the game and enjoy.
Since your using the same skin (in this example) you will always see Jeanette using all 4 armors.
You can select which armor you want by cycling the F3 key in the game, once you get other armors."

So, what he did was: Extracted ALL the files in every VPK pack that includes model files(.dx7_2bone.vtx files, .dx80.vtx files, .mdl files and .phy files) with the help of a VPK Extractor of course and then did everything else that I copied(the text in italics) above.

Feel free to ask more if u didn't understand!

kemicake · Post by **kemicake** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:44 am

The Stupefying Stupidity of Me...

Ok, I figured out how to find all 4 of the jeanette files and I even managed to find the female malkavian folder but.... after extraction there's only 1 file per armor folder and I'm supposed to put all 4 jeanette files in each folder and rename all of them to the armorfile's original name... how do you do this??? I've tried renaming the files without changing the filetype but the game doesn't show a model then.

the files I used are:
\npc\unique\santa_monica\jeanette\jeanette.dx7_2bone.vtx
\npc\unique\santa_monica\jeanette\jeanette.dx80.vtx
\npc\unique\santa_monica\jeanette\jeanette.mdl
\npc\unique\santa_monica\jeanette\jeanette.phy
and
\pc\female\malkavian\armor0\malkavian_female_armor_0.mdl
\pc\female\malkavian\armor1\malk_girl_armor_1.mdl
\pc\female\malkavian\armor2\malk_girl_armor_2.mdl
\pc\female\malkavian\armor3\malk_girl_armor_3.mdl

I suspect the different names of the Malk. files are a problem but I still don't see how to do this with a 4:1 ratio of files!
Precisely which .vpk files are needed?
What are the Malkavian filenames needed?
Do I have to somehow reinsert the files into the .vpk and how?
Why hasn't someone uploaded the precise files yet? (I'm lazy

)

I'm totally stumped and any help would be very welcome

OuterParadise · Post by **OuterParadise** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:14 am

Hmm.. did u extract ALL files from ALL the vpk packs?? Everything should be inside those folders then.

Anyway, you really don't need to overwrite them; just rename the Jeanette files to the ones inside the armor folders. The game will use these files instead of the files inside the vpk packs then.
I guess u don't know the names for these files.. hmm try extract all the files like I mentioned above.

Alternative Method:

Extract the clandoc000.txt file from the Vdata/system/ (it's located inside one of the packs, can't remember which sorry!)
Open it and change the following lines:

"F_Body0" "models/character/pc/female/malkavian/armor0/malkavian_Female_Armor_0.mdl"
"F_Body1" "models/character/pc/female/malkavian/armor1/malkavian_Female_Armor_1.mdl"
"F_Body2" "models/character/pc/female/malkavian/armor2/malkavian_Female_Armor_2.mdl"
"F_Body3" "models/character/pc/female/malkavian/armor3/malkavian_Female_Armor_3.mdl"
"F_Body4" "models/character/pc/female/malkavian/armor4/malkavian_Female_Armor_3.mdl"
"F_Body5" "models/character/pc/female/malkavian/armor5/malkavian_Female_Armor_3.mdl"

to:

"F_Body0" "models/character/npc/unique/santa_monica/Jeanette/Jeanette.mdl"
Edit: Forgot, if u want to change the appearance of a clan(other than Malk, ex toreador, goto the lines with female/toreador/ instead.)

This method is easier and it will make ur character able to frenzy, EVEN with a changed skin.

Hope that helped!

Angelus45 · Post by **Angelus45** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 2:04 pm

Ok Outer so I finally figure out everything to do that you posted but when I went to download the VPK tool it comes up with a RAR file which isn't anything. How can I download this? It seems everyone else is not having a problem getting it. What am I missing?

Thanks.

<~Angelus~>

kemicake · Post by **kemicake** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 2:27 pm

My Eyes See Through The Web Now....

Hey... That actually worked! thanks a billion zillions

OuterParadise · Post by **OuterParadise** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:41 am

@Angelus: You need an unzipping program like WinRar: http://www.rarlab.com/

Then all u need to do is extract the program.

@kemicake: No probs, glad it worked!

Angelus45 · Post by **Angelus45** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 9:16 pm

Thanks alot now I can download all of the skins and mods that I couldn't before. I really would like to make a female Tremere Jeanette but I don't really want to decompress all of the files because I have heard the game turns slugish if you do. Is there another way? Maybe a file or patch some place that you can just download all of Jeanette's info and place it where you want?

Thanks again.

<~Angelus~>

OuterParadise · Post by **OuterParadise** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 1:26 am

Np, u could always just extract the clandoc000.txt and then change its' directory for femaletremere armors to the .mdl file of jeanette.
Decompressing a few files will not affect ur game, maybe 0.001% more sluggish.

The game takes a hit when u extract all the files from all of the packs though.

If u want to use one of the community made Jeanette skins for urself without making the real Jeanette become reskinned as well, u have to open up the .vmt file(s) (that comes with this skin) via textpad for ex and then change the texture path directory to somewhere else(where the tth/ttz files of this .vmt are) and then alter the path for the .mdl files as well, with Turfster's VPK Tool.
(The files must be placed somewhere of course, feel free to ask where/how)
Edit: I just found this excellent guide on how to do what I explained above:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jdhibberd/vamp/pctonpc.html
You should skip the NVIDIA plugin stuff though, since most ppl here seem to be interested in using one of the reskins, not reskinning.

But I wont explain this too much right now since u only seem to be interested in making ur char look like the original Jeanette.

Angelus45 · Post by **Angelus45** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 10:24 am

Thanks alot!

That site with the instructions is very well done for some of us dumber people who play the game without knowing all of the keys to changing a character skin.

I will start on it right when I get home.

Thanks again.

<~Angelus~>

Spike45 · Post by **Spike45** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:08 pm

OuterParadise wrote:Np, u could always just extract the clandoc000.txt and then change its' directory for femaletremere armors to the .mdl file of jeanette.
Decompressing a few files will not affect ur game, maybe 0.001% more sluggish. The game takes a hit when u extract all the files from all of the packs though.

If u want to use one of the community made Jeanette skins for urself without making the real Jeanette become reskinned as well, u have to open up the .vmt file(s) (that comes with this skin) via textpad for ex and then change the texture path directory to somewhere else(where the tth/ttz files of this .vmt are) and then alter the path for the .mdl files as well, with Turfster's VPK Tool.
(The files must be placed somewhere of course, feel free to ask where/how)
Edit: I just found this excellent guide on how to do what I explained above:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jdhibberd/vamp/pctonpc.html
You should skip the NVIDIA plugin stuff though, since most ppl here seem to be interested in using one of the reskins, not reskinning.

But I wont explain this too much right now since u only seem to be interested in making ur char look like the original Jeanette.

Is it too much to hope that the guide has a new link? I remember when this was first posted I used the guide to change my PC into a NPC. But it's been years and I forgot how to do it. Any help?

lifeishell91 · Post by **lifeishell91** » Tue May 08, 2007 8:48 am

My problem is that I don't have a Vampire\Models folder, so I don't now where to find the textures.

I wanted to make my male tremere look like Strauss.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Nix-Nox · Post by **Nix-Nox** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:47 am

More questions from another newbie skinner

I've been attempting to replace the female Brujah models with VV, armor 0 is the regular VV found in the npc/unique/downtown/ - it works fine. I'm trying to use alternate VV skins (not mine, some I've found) as armors 1-3 I think I've managed repathing the model files using VPK tool. However the body textures will not load in the VPK explorer and in game all I get is a purple and black checkered version of VV. The original VV body has the texture header 8-bit checked, the subsequent ones do not. I get an error in the VPK explorer saying the header is incorrect (the body texture is the only one that won't load), is there some way to make the greyed out check box for 8-bit work in VPK tool or some alternative method I'm over looking? This is my first attempt at custom skinning, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Raven8991 · Post by **Raven8991** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:33 pm

OuterParadise wrote:After u've extracted a file with the tool, THAT file will end up in the Vampire\ directory(note: it makes its' own folders inside the Vampire\ directory when extracted, these folders are the same as the ones this extracted file was inside in the vpk pack).
You need the model files for the skin u want to use, and the model files for the armors for ur clan, then replace the armor model files with the custom one(the one u want to use) by renaming them to the same as the armor ones.

These are the entries u need for a skin to work:

.dx7_2bone.vtx
.dx80.vtx
.mdl
.phy

ex :
jeanette.dx7_2bone.vtx
jeanette.dx80.vtx
jeanette.mdl
jeanette.phy

i did that though when i load my malk or make a new one she still looks like normal and not like Jeanette i dont see what i am doing wrong can anyone help please

Grave7 · Post by **Grave7** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:52 am

Hi, I'm trying to change the lvl5 Animalism beastform/warform model to the werewolf skin (I think it fits the gangrel better than a bat-human-rat combination, ), but I'm having trouble with it..
I extracted everything that had werewolf in its name, or in it's parent directory's name from the .vpk files (pack000.vpk-pack010.vpk, pack100.vpk-pack103.vpk are the files I have) with VPKTool, but I could find one, that has .py extension -as far as I know, that's also needed. However, I found a lot of .vmt, .tth, .ttz files - from their names they are used for werewolf eye, tongue, teeth, and bigger parts of it's body.

Could anyone help me, telling what have I done wrong, and what should I do to change the model?
Thank you