Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
- thethiny
- Immortal
- Posts: 2260
- Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:08 pm
- Side: Light
- PSN: thethiny
- XBox Live: thethiny
- Location: Earthrealm
- Contact:
Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
I will cover two methods of Mesh Swaps (not really mesh swaps, but the model changes).
Tools needed:
-A Hex Editor, I use HxD.
-Two .xxx character files.
-Unreal Package Decompressor.
Method 1:
Let's assume we're swapping Tremor with Johnny Cage Costume 1.
All you have to do is rename CHAR_JohnnyCage_A.xxx to CHAR_Tremor_A.xxx (make sure to backup CHAR_Tremor_A.xxx first before overwriting). Now open the game and Choose Tremor. You will notice that there is no Character visible, it's okay. Now for this to work you MUST play against Johnny Cage or else the game will crash. Apparently the game doesn't load Johnny Cage's files unless he is selected, so this method is very limited.
If done correctly, you will have Johnny Cage with Tremor's intro and Name, nothing more.
Method 2:
Replacing Subzero Klassic with Reptile Klassic:
Grab Subzero's .xxx file (CHAR_Subzero_N.xxx) and drag it into the Decompressor. You will get a file inside a folder with the same name, but a bigger file size.
Now this file has Subzero's Klassic Skin, and the "Strings" inside it are for Subzero too.
Open this file with the HEX Editor and search for every "Subzero" and replace it with "Reptile". (Note, Longer/Shorter names will cause the game to crash because the file size changes. Also make sure that the Costumes are the same, Subzero_N with Reptile_N and not Subzero_B with Reptile_C, the game will not work correctly but you can fix this if you know what you're doing.)
After doing this save and rename the file to CHAR_Reptile_N.xxx and move it to the assets folder (don't forget to backup). Now you have a package called CHAR_Reptile_N with Klassic Subzero Mesh with Reptile Strings. Open the game and you should see the swap in effect at the Player Select Screen. You don't have to play Against Subzero for this to work. Now you'll have Reptile with SubZero's Mesh.
tl;dr : For the swapping to work, the Strings must match Either the Mesh or the Package Name.
Tools needed:
-A Hex Editor, I use HxD.
-Two .xxx character files.
-Unreal Package Decompressor.
Method 1:
Let's assume we're swapping Tremor with Johnny Cage Costume 1.
All you have to do is rename CHAR_JohnnyCage_A.xxx to CHAR_Tremor_A.xxx (make sure to backup CHAR_Tremor_A.xxx first before overwriting). Now open the game and Choose Tremor. You will notice that there is no Character visible, it's okay. Now for this to work you MUST play against Johnny Cage or else the game will crash. Apparently the game doesn't load Johnny Cage's files unless he is selected, so this method is very limited.
If done correctly, you will have Johnny Cage with Tremor's intro and Name, nothing more.
Method 2:
Replacing Subzero Klassic with Reptile Klassic:
Grab Subzero's .xxx file (CHAR_Subzero_N.xxx) and drag it into the Decompressor. You will get a file inside a folder with the same name, but a bigger file size.
Now this file has Subzero's Klassic Skin, and the "Strings" inside it are for Subzero too.
Open this file with the HEX Editor and search for every "Subzero" and replace it with "Reptile". (Note, Longer/Shorter names will cause the game to crash because the file size changes. Also make sure that the Costumes are the same, Subzero_N with Reptile_N and not Subzero_B with Reptile_C, the game will not work correctly but you can fix this if you know what you're doing.)
After doing this save and rename the file to CHAR_Reptile_N.xxx and move it to the assets folder (don't forget to backup). Now you have a package called CHAR_Reptile_N with Klassic Subzero Mesh with Reptile Strings. Open the game and you should see the swap in effect at the Player Select Screen. You don't have to play Against Subzero for this to work. Now you'll have Reptile with SubZero's Mesh.
tl;dr : For the swapping to work, the Strings must match Either the Mesh or the Package Name.
- Noob Cyborg
- Immortal
- Posts: 916
- Joined: Sun Aug 04, 2013 1:49 pm
- Location: Outworld's Lair
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
???
"I am Goro! General to the armies of Outworld and Prince to the subterrianian realm of Shokahn..."
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
uhm. but when changing the .xxx files like in method 1, it forces me to verify my game cache?
- UncleFestor
- Grand Master
- Posts: 620
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:56 pm
- Side: Darkness
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
That's because the Package is now Decompressed. So you need to use whatever method you currently use with skin mods.
Check out my Youtube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/user/unclefestorable
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
all I do for skin mods is put them into my game everytime I run it. while the game is running it works. Do you know any other methods so I can install skins without it asking me to verify my cache and so I dont have to clear my cache and put them in everytime I launch my game?UncleFestor wrote:That's because the Package is now Decompressed. So you need to use whatever method you currently use with skin mods.
- thethiny
- Immortal
- Posts: 2260
- Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:08 pm
- Side: Light
- PSN: thethiny
- XBox Live: thethiny
- Location: Earthrealm
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
You will need a cracked version of the game that bypasses steam.flynnkay wrote:all I do for skin mods is put them into my game everytime I run it. while the game is running it works. Do you know any other methods so I can install skins without it asking me to verify my cache and so I dont have to clear my cache and put them in everytime I launch my game?UncleFestor wrote:That's because the Package is now Decompressed. So you need to use whatever method you currently use with skin mods.
- UncleFestor
- Grand Master
- Posts: 620
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:56 pm
- Side: Darkness
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
You could also use a Mod Manager. There's one posted in this forum
Check out my Youtube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/user/unclefestorable
- zepterrian
- Grand Master
- Posts: 659
- Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:50 pm
- Side: Light
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
maybe you know this already unclefestor but you can simply use the generic renamer tool for mkke instead of the Hex. it makes the work easier...though I have a question about your second method. does it also change the package sounds?.. i mean when i put subzero´s blue steel skin on reptile it still had subzero´s sounds (only his voice not effects) and because of that there were no reptile´s sounds, not voices nor effects. i saw those new "steel" skins for ermac and reptile and the first thing i noticed was that the sounds were all working as they should.. and my greatest question is HOW?
Please if you can answer me.. i´ve been trying to make that mod while ago but i don´t have enough experience about modding at high level. what i did was renaming Subzero_V to Reptile_N and also tried Subzero_V to Reptile_H but nothing changed. could the mistake be for using that renamer tool?
Please if you can answer me.. i´ve been trying to make that mod while ago but i don´t have enough experience about modding at high level. what i did was renaming Subzero_V to Reptile_N and also tried Subzero_V to Reptile_H but nothing changed. could the mistake be for using that renamer tool?
For the raptor race...
- zepterrian
- Grand Master
- Posts: 659
- Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:50 pm
- Side: Light
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
sorry i said unclefestor but i meant thetiny.. however i´m sure anyone of you guys can answer the question
For the raptor race...
- thethiny
- Immortal
- Posts: 2260
- Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:08 pm
- Side: Light
- PSN: thethiny
- XBox Live: thethiny
- Location: Earthrealm
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
Well, you need to NOT Modfiy the VO strings in the hex. For my Tremor MOD, some sounds worked because I left "Subzero" instead of Tremor. (Note that I said Subzero and not Subzero_N, because you must change Subzero_N to Tremor_A but not Subzero to Tremor).
Number 2, The files are loaded from the _A file, so If you replace Ermac_N, it will load Ermac_A which has the sounds. That's why it is impossible for the DLC to have alternate costumes, because the _A is changed = No Sounds.
Number 2, The files are loaded from the _A file, so If you replace Ermac_N, it will load Ermac_A which has the sounds. That's why it is impossible for the DLC to have alternate costumes, because the _A is changed = No Sounds.
- UncleFestor
- Grand Master
- Posts: 620
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:56 pm
- Side: Darkness
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
That's partially correct. With any swap you need to change SND_Speech_CHARNAME, where CHARNAME is the Name of the Main Character belonging to the Costume Set you're Replacing. SND_SPEECH is an external Package. So changing that , for example From SubZero to Tremor, will load Tremors Speech File where Most of the VO's are Stored, so you would then need to change all the VO Strings from SubZero to Tremor.
The Shared Sound Strings are stored in the Char Packages themselves and those would be SND_SFX and the .fsb files {sound files inside that specific package}. Each ALT-Costume uses 2 sets of SFX sounds, some it pulls from the main Package the others it contains in it's own package, these are usually costume specific sounds, but with swaps it'll simply use whatever sounds the Main Costume contains & what are already present and usable in the swapped costume.
So yes that's exactly why DLC Swaps have few sounds as thethiny pointed out. Because there's no longer a package to pull sounds from. The only way around this is to extract the sound files from the DLC's Char Package and Inject them into the swapped package to have the correct sounds, then label them accordingly -- there's several reasons we can't do this yet. The only other feasible alternative is to add the swap as an alt-costume which would allow the sounds to load correctly {Which of course we can't do yet either}
The Shared Sound Strings are stored in the Char Packages themselves and those would be SND_SFX and the .fsb files {sound files inside that specific package}. Each ALT-Costume uses 2 sets of SFX sounds, some it pulls from the main Package the others it contains in it's own package, these are usually costume specific sounds, but with swaps it'll simply use whatever sounds the Main Costume contains & what are already present and usable in the swapped costume.
So yes that's exactly why DLC Swaps have few sounds as thethiny pointed out. Because there's no longer a package to pull sounds from. The only way around this is to extract the sound files from the DLC's Char Package and Inject them into the swapped package to have the correct sounds, then label them accordingly -- there's several reasons we can't do this yet. The only other feasible alternative is to add the swap as an alt-costume which would allow the sounds to load correctly {Which of course we can't do yet either}
Check out my Youtube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/user/unclefestorable
- zepterrian
- Grand Master
- Posts: 659
- Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:50 pm
- Side: Light
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
i don´t get it.. i´m still pretty confused.. both of you guys said the sounds will work partially, then how was possible for you unclefestor to keep the sounds when you made the mesh swap in that "MKX Kytarian D'Vorah Mesh SWAP Mod" video? (good demo by the way..)..even you said "This is just a swap showcase, so I didn't do all the sounds for every single one." in the "Mesh swap madness" demo. i don´t think it is just a metter of renaming packages.. i mean..there gotta be something else beyond what i know to make everything work as it should. Possibly in the Coalesced file just like in mkke..? . if it is i´d like to know about that.. i´d be very thankful.
For the raptor race...
- UncleFestor
- Grand Master
- Posts: 620
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:56 pm
- Side: Darkness
- Contact:
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
To clarify. We were talking SPECIFICALLY about DLC Characters and their sounds only partially working. As I explained above how the Snd files & strings work, it'll play correctly for other costumes/characters
Check out my Youtube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/user/unclefestorable
- zepterrian
- Grand Master
- Posts: 659
- Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:50 pm
- Side: Light
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
Ok i got it. I was blinded sorry. I didn´t notice you were referring to DLC exactly. I´ll see what i can do then. thanks for answering guys
For the raptor race...
- UndeadMorto
- Mortal
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:54 pm
- Side: Light
Re: Quick Mesh Swaps [Tutorial]
Hello mr.
I did all you said to do, Decompressed the XXX file, replaced all the string and renamed the file, it only worked with Klassic Subzero with Klassic Reptile for me as you said, but i tried with Scorpion A with Subzero A and the game crashed, you said "Longer/Shorter names will cause the game to crash because the file size changes." but how did you swaped Cassie B with Torr A and JohhnyCage with Scorpion?
I'm not criticizing, I'm just confused =(
CHAR_CageJr_B = 13 words
CHAR_MasterMale_A = 17 words
I did all you said to do, Decompressed the XXX file, replaced all the string and renamed the file, it only worked with Klassic Subzero with Klassic Reptile for me as you said, but i tried with Scorpion A with Subzero A and the game crashed, you said "Longer/Shorter names will cause the game to crash because the file size changes." but how did you swaped Cassie B with Torr A and JohhnyCage with Scorpion?
I'm not criticizing, I'm just confused =(
CHAR_CageJr_B = 13 words
CHAR_MasterMale_A = 17 words