Character Model Import Tutorial - 10

Author: Michael Frost

Creating .SKIN Files for Textures

A skin file is a text file -- here is an example of several lines

    hips,models/players/darthvader/hips.tga  
    hips_legs,models/players/darthvader/legs.tga  
    hips_innercloak,models/players/darthvader/armor.tga  
    r_leg,models/players/darthvader/legs.tga  
    l_leg,models/players/darthvader/legs.tga

The setup for this is like so --

    ModelPartName,models/players/modelname/Texturefile.tga or jpg

    helmet,models/players/darthvader/helmet.tga

Do this for each model piece.

I suggest when you make the skin file, have 3D Studio Max open with your model onscreen so you can figure out exactly what parts you have named or not (if you have named something incorrectly -- e.g., caps, and such -- you should rename them, re-export, then re-assimilate back to this point). At the end of the line make sure you list the appropriate texture file for the part. See the section on proper naming procedures if necessary.

Do this for each model part, including the caps. Just use the models/players/stormtrooper/caps.tga file for the caps but it is possible to use custom caps files; look at Cheshire_vader.pk3 file for an example on that.

When you are done creating this text file, save it as "All File Names", and Save As... Model_default.skin.

You now have a skin file that will point to all your proper textures!

You can make multiple skin files, naming them like so:

    Model_red.skin  
    Model_blue.skin

Hhaving them setup the same way as the normal skin file, just with different texture names, will allow you to have multiple texture sets on a single model.

For example, in model_default.skin: 

    Head, models/players/modelname/SamsFace.tga

And in Model_red.skin: 

    Head, models/players/modelname/BobsFace.tga

On the default model, SamsFace texture appears, and on the Red model, BobsFace will.

Or you can name it whatever you like and have the person choose the model by typing in the console of JK2:

    Model modelname/model_skinname.skin

This allows custom skins to go onto a model and not replace the existing default or team colors.