Wheel Editing

Written By: PleaseDontShootMe

Ok, i try to make it real easy how to make this all.
I use a Capri #89 as an example. the images are bit small.. solution:
HERE IS A LINK TO THE IMAGES IN THE PHOTOBUCKET FOR PROPER VIEWING:
http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/PleaseDontShootMe/tutorial/

STEP1 one more tool for skinning needed

Download a good free hex editor with "replace all" feature. i use 010 editor myself,
but its only 30 days evaluation copy so dont know what im gonna start using after it
expires.

STEP2 Extracting tire textures

make a note what wheel style the original car you are building is using, for example
im building a standalone based on Capri number 89, so i gotta see what does the car originally
use. I use basically observing how the wheels look and then find which one match the looks
in the FORD_CAPRI_WHEELS.gtl file.
Theres 2 textures to extract:
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_STYLE202 and
FORD_CAPRI_2D_WHEEL_STYLE202
The rest of the tire textures we create using those two in the next step.



STEP3 Editing the tire textures

1. Open the textures in photoshop.

2. Paint them as you want them to be, take note that
FORD_CAPRI_2D_WHEEL files are saved as DXT1 without alpha channel and
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL are save as DXT1 with 1 bit alpha.

3.There are some textures needed so we are going to make them now, they are used for the
tire spinning effect. im gonna list them here:

FORD_CAPRI_2D_WHEEL_STYLE202.DDS: No blur (the one we just painted)
FORD_CAPRI_2D_WHEEL_STYLE201.DDS: Radial blur amount 10
FORD_CAPRI_2D_WHEEL_STYLE200.DDS: Radial blur amount 25
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_STYLE202.DDS: No blur (the one we also just painted)
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_STYLE201.DDS: Radial blur amount 10
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_STYLE200.DDS: Radial blur amount 25

The amount of blur is a bit of a taste thing, those numbers are something
that ive found to look good.
you can resize the 201 and 200 files to half size if you like but dont go under 256x256.

4.After creating all those files it might be time to see how they look ingame.
these files should be in the 89 folder where all the capri number 89 files are.



STEP3 Extracting .gmt files

There are 12 files needed to be extracted. I use game extractor cause its easier than geditor.
Make note that extracted files go by default to "C:\Program Files\Game Extractor\extract"
here are the needed .gmt files listed for the capri:

FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_LF_STYLE2_A.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_LF_STYLE2_B.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_LF_STYLE2_C.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_LR_STYLE2_A.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_LR_STYLE2_B.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_LR_STYLE2_C.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_RF_STYLE2_A.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_RF_STYLE2_B.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_RF_STYLE2_C.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_RR_STYLE2_A.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_RR_STYLE2_B.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL_RR_STYLE2_C.GMT



STEP4 Hex editing .gmt files and renaming textures

1. We gotta think how we name the texture files now. Cause its not good to change the
style number which we could do, but im gonna add a J (from my name) to capri instead.
so i rename the texture files:
FORD_CAPRI_2D_WHEEL_STYLE202.DDS
become
FORD_CAPRJ_2D_WHEEL_STYLE202.DDS
Rename all the 6 tire textures.

2. now we need to hex edit the .gmt files to understand our new wheel style name.
i describe here how to make one, but every single of the 12 files need to be edited exactly
the same way.

3. Open .gmt file in hex editor

4. Find a tool called find & replace in the editor

5. we gotta process all files twice, first to replace names for 2dwheel textures and second time to replace normal wheel textures. so here goes:

FORD_CAPRI_2DWHEEL should be replaced with FORD_CAPRJ_2DWHEEL

6. Hit replace all.

7. Next the same thing but without the 2D:
FORD_CAPRI_WHEEL should be replaced with FORD_CAPRJ_WHEEL

8. Hit replace all and then SAVE.

9. Do this with every single .gmt file...



STEP5 Result

Ok if everything was done as explained, we should have following files in the 89 folder:

6 Renamed and edited tire textures
12 edited .gmt files

note in screenshot theres 8 tire textures:
FORD_CAPRJ_2DWHEEL_STYLE2.DDS and
FORD_CAPRJ_WHEEL_STYLE2.DDS are exactly the same as the 202 numbered files,
im yet to discover their purpose but i see no effect if they do or dont exist.
easy way to make them is just make a copy of 202 textures and remove the
02 from the filename...



STEP6 Final test

Ok now its time to go drive a bit and see that all 4 tires are there and
look the way they should when moving and parked.
if all was nice and working smooth... then
YOU ARE DONE!
 



It sounds much more complicated than it is, i can hex edit the tires in five minutes.
couple first times suck but after you get used to it.. its nothing!
Hope this helps, if any questions just PM me... have fun!

(if the images are too small let me know, they arent that small in photobucket and i wanted
to use clickable thumbnails but it didnt show the image.. EDIT:the reason is that for some reason marcus has disabled using images hosted elsewhere)

Written By: PleaseDontShootMe

Hex editing the shinyness.

Decided to fix couple issues in changing the shinyness of your car, already familiar
with hex-editing so it didnt take long to figure out.
Assuming you have read Davids guide, imported and renamed an EMAP_PAINT.DDS file for yourself,
there is still 2 issues. it will change the shine on every single car, and when AI or
someone else than you is driving it, you cant see your edited shinyness level.
lil hex editing will fix those two issues.
Im using the Capri number 89 as an example, but its really easy to transfer this
information to editing other cars.. filenames are very easy to figure out.
If you need more detailed information (screenshots) how to extract files or
how to use replace all feature, see my Wheel editing tutorial or check my
photobucket album i made for my tutorials:
http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m6/PleaseDontShootMe/tutorial/

Here we go:

1.Rename the EMAP_PAINT to something else, remember you cant add or reduce the number of letters,
only change them. so i used J again and changed it to EMAP_PAINJ

2.Open FORD_CAPRI_OBJ.gtl in Game extractor (much rather than geditor)

3.Extract 4 chassis .gmt files listed below, im not sure how to know the chassis style cos they dont
alway match the tire style. what i did was experiment and was correct on the first try with
this one:

FORD_CAPRI_CHASSIS_STYLE2_A.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_CHASSIS_STYLE2_B.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_CHASSIS_STYLE2_C.GMT
FORD_CAPRI_CHASSIS_STYLE2_D.GMT

4.Now edit all 4 files with hex editor using the "replace all" feature:
EMAP_PAINT should be replaced with EMAP_PAINJ
basically to match the renamed file. Remember to save.

5.All good, we have now edited fixed own personal shinyness level for the car that will
work no matter who drives it, and it will only effect the shinyness of this
particular car and no other..
And btw it will show in the spinner too at least after this,
theres different reflections for spinner but using this will change the
lines needed for that too