View Single Post in: Modding - Wallpaper: wallMaterials_tslocator_gmdc (default wallpapers have meshes); Settings for bump-mapping; Update 2006-07

Mad Poster
Original Poster
#11 Old 18th Jun 2006 at 3:11 AM
One can easily interconvert txtr and LIFO indeed.
LIFO is used as an extension to txtr, and in some cases, it can be used to store a common texture of a size for several txtr files to avoid duplicate textures for different txtr files. For instance, in HCP terrain paint/ground covering files have 2 identical texture files, and they can be merged together by a LIFO file.

Updated 20061103 - 3rd Nov, 2006:


From LIFO to TXTR:

1. One can export the texture(s) out of the wanted largest LIFO(s) by right-clicking at the texture presentation box.

2. Then, go to the txtr file.

3. By means of DDS utility, right-click at the region for the graphic and select "build DXT"

4. filter is probably set to none

5. open the texture exported from the largest LIFO. (DDS utility will take care of all the smaller sizes itself, and that's why only the largest texture matters.)

6. commit.

7. Save the file.

8. One can decide if to keep the LIFO file.


From TXTR to LIFO: (a little bit trickier)

1. just export the textures out from the txtr file.

2. There're 3 ways (2a, 2b,2c) to go for this step.

2a. either find a size-matching LIFO file from the game files
[eg: if the required image size is "512 x 512", find one LIFO file predefined as "512 x 512". Extract it from the game packages, re-import it back to the on-working package. May build your own LIFO import libarary for future usages.]; or

2b. re-use any in-game LIFO file with a bit of hex-editing
[Either can't find a matching one from the game package ones, or just save your time to seek when with some confidence on hex-editing.
Just import a LIFO file into the package (preferably a non-square one [Say, 64 x 128], so you can know what is what later) -> save the package -> memorise or write down the original LIFO dimension sizes -> switch to the hex tab -> set to dec. view -> find and click on (by taking turns) the matching numbers which are listed nearby approximately-consecutively kinda a few to several lines away from the top, alter the value at the singles to the size you want -> commit -> save the package -> may reload the package before move-on.]; or

2c. "add" a new file and set it as LIFO with a bit of hex-editing. [Right-click at the file list window -> click "create resource(s)" -> switch to the resource tab -> click on the drop-down list of file type and choose LIFO -> commit -> save the package and may follow the routine as stated in the previous part 2b.]

3. import the textures (from the txtr files) into the LIFO file(s)

4. Fix TGI

5. Commit

6a. ***Updated*** (I've to apologise that, this step may not work well coz simpe will mess up the guid, location quotes of HCP products..., so skip this :slap: me)

7. Save the file.


As for the mesh thing or other rebuilding things, I can't help and don't know enough.