Upaint and Custom Model Skins

[legacy-Jesus DeSaad]

I want to make skins on Upaint based on the Hitman, Juec and Neofin models that I downloaded from the net. Is it possible to have the custom models imported to Upaint so I can reskin them?
If so, how please?

If I can't do it that way, have you got any other COMPLETE suggestions? Not ones like "use 3dsmax", cause I won't know where to begin and where to end.
I mean tell me which programs to get to extract the skin from the model, then apply my own custom skin and then to import the newly skinned model to UT2k3.

[legacy-lRe4peR]

Get Wotgreal exporter, u can export the texture from the utx file then. After exporting, editing, etc...do following:

open up unrealed and go into the texture browser, open the texture of the skin from the new model. Now just import the edited versions and save em as a new texture or as the same (depends) if you wanna keep it, though if u plan on releasing it i should give it another name.

[legacy-JaFO(JBE)]

Originally posted by Jesus DeSaad
I want to make skins on Upaint based on the Hitman, Juec and Neofin models that I downloaded from the net. Is it possible to have the custom models imported to Upaint so I can reskin them?
If so, how please?

If I can't do it that way, have you got any other COMPLETE suggestions? Not ones like "use 3dsmax", cause I won't know where to begin and where to end.
I mean tell me which programs to get to extract the skin from the model, then apply my own custom skin and then to import the newly skinned model to UT2k3.

Just use UnrealEd itself to extract the textures into something usable ...
(1) open the upl-file for the character

(2) find the value for the bodyskin (it'll be something like 'BodySkin=HitmanTextures.HitmanSkin' for the hitman-model )

(3) the first part is the name of the package ('HitmanTextures'), and since it's a texture-package that means it's extension should be 'UTX' ...

(4) start UnrealEd and select the texture-browser and open package. You should find the texture-package in the textures-directory.

(5) if you can't find the texture/package there you might want to try looking in the animations-directory as some people have stored the textures in the UKX-file for the model.

(6) you should be able to find the texture and then right-click on it to export it into a 'regular' format ...
Only problem is if the texture is compressed (= DXT1, DXT3 or DXT5-format) or if any shader/combiner has been used. In either case you can only export as DDS-format (a DirectDraw-format which AFAIK not many programs can read ). Sometimes there's a way around by finding the source-texture in that same package.

To skin a model in UPaint you'd need the PSK-file for the model ... and except for the polycount-forums I haven't seen those things in real life. You'd have to ask the author for that bit.

In fact asking the creator of the model is the best way. The people that post their models on the polycount-forums usually post an SDK (a set of files usually the 3D-model and the original bitmaps used to texture it) if they want others to help with skin.

-- edit --
I know that Juec was posted on the polycount-forums ... here it is

[legacy-Dark_Spectre]

What is the purpose of Upaint? You can't actually make anything with it that doesn't look like a kindergardener's art project.

[legacy--Loric-]

Originally posted by Dark_Spectre
What is the purpose of Upaint? You can't actually make anything with it that doesn't look like a kindergardener's art project.

I actually found a good use for it.
In Photoshop, you might have troubles when the mesh is cut into pieces that are not jointive on the texture. Such as matching the same colors on both sides of the boundary.
I find it that UPaint is a fast way to check that there is no visible seam on the 3D character.

[legacy-Jesus DeSaad]

Exactly. I use Upaint alongside Photoshop. I never touch Upaint's brushes, I just use the viewer to see if the photoshopped image is ok.

****, all these answers are too complicated for me. I was thinking along the lines of another do-it-all 3dbrowser/importer/exporter program. It took a century just to make one voice pack through UnrealEd, and this seems even tougher.

Anyway, it's my policy not to ask for permission until I've finished the new skin. That way i don't bug anyone for no reason (i might get bored and abandon the skin half-way) unless i wanna publish it.

[legacy-lRe4peR]

dark, upaint just does alot of work for us...but basicly it's yes...not necessary for us. I think modelers should if possible...make a upp file or something to open with upaint...the question is...is it possible...maybe they need a undownloadable prog that epic uses...beats me i dunno lol.

[legacy-lRe4peR]

i've never asked permission before but i always putted a note in the readme that sais who made the original skin/model if i alter one.

[legacy-Shakuurn]

Originally posted by Dark_Spectre
What is the purpose of Upaint? You can't actually make anything with it that doesn't look like a kindergardener's art project.

I thought it may be a neat idea to use UPaint to make an outline of the model's edges and whatnot, so you know what the boundaries of the different parts of the model are when you're looking on a texture. So you can "paint" lines on the model first, then import the texture and now you can just colour in the lines.

[legacy-Dark_Spectre]

Huh, interesting. I just use Maya to see if everything's being painted correctly, I never even thought to use Upaint.

[Sevn_of_five]

Get Wotgreal exporter, u can export the texture from the utx file then. After exporting, editing, etc...do following:

open up unrealed and go into the texture browser, open the texture of the skin from the new model. Now just import the edited versions and save em as a new texture or as the same (depends) if you wanna keep it, though if u plan on releasing it i should give it another name.

Hey Reaper...I am a regular player on UT 2003 (play every single day)..and I have started to edit some custom skins as I have many cool ideas. Took me a while to finaly figure out how to import texture files into Upaint but I finally did it using the WOTgreal Exporter and paintshop pro. Now, my problem is, when I open up the Sapphire .upp file in Upaint which is the one I need to edit the custom skin I am workin on, it opens it with this damn mask that I cannot remove. I've looked over and over again thru all Upaint fonctions and options and no where I could find an option to remove the mask. Thing is, since I can see the real Sapphire face on the left hand side of the page, I know there must be a way to simply remove that mask. Another thing, on the custom skin, the shoulder pads where transparents and when I imported the textures into Upaint, shoulder pads became visible (white) and when I saved the skin into the game to test it, I had the mask ans shoulder pads showing on the skin ... would u by any chance have a clue on how to remove those 2 things (mask and shoulder pads) from the skin? pleeeaaase!

Btw, im asking for ur help since I've seen and used ur tutorial on how to edit skins...and it worked fine...u made it very simple and easy to follow and to use...even for beginners like me ...thank you!

Sevn.

[Plasticfrog]

Just use UnrealEd itself to extract the textures into something usable ...
(1) open the upl-file for the character

(2) find the value for the bodyskin (it'll be something like 'BodySkin=HitmanTextures.HitmanSkin' for the hitman-model )

(3) the first part is the name of the package ('HitmanTextures'), and since it's a texture-package that means it's extension should be 'UTX' ...

(4) start UnrealEd and select the texture-browser and open package. You should find the texture-package in the textures-directory.

(5) if you can't find the texture/package there you might want to try looking in the animations-directory as some people have stored the textures in the UKX-file for the model.

(6) you should be able to find the texture and then right-click on it to export it into a 'regular' format ...
Only problem is if the texture is compressed (= DXT1, DXT3 or DXT5-format) or if any shader/combiner has been used. In either case you can only export as DDS-format (a DirectDraw-format which AFAIK not many programs can read ). Sometimes there's a way around by finding the source-texture in that same package.

To skin a model in UPaint you'd need the PSK-file for the model ... and except for the polycount-forums I haven't seen those things in real life. You'd have to ask the author for that bit.

In fact asking the creator of the model is the best way. The people that post their models on the polycount-forums usually post an SDK (a set of files usually the 3D-model and the original bitmaps used to texture it) if they want others to help with skin.

-- edit --
I know that Juec was posted on the polycount-forums ... here it is

How do you open the .upl in unrealEd? You can open .u files from the actor class tab, but not .upl files.

To complicate this thread a little more I have a question to add. I have my textures ready (at least for testing), but how do I create the needed .upl and/or .u packages for the new skin (based on Hide's Elektra model)? The texture package is easy, but I know you need the .upl file to choose the new skin from the game menu.

uPaint normally creates the needed files when you click "export to Unreal" but I can't get it to work right. I have the Anthology installed, in case thats an issue (like uPaint can't find the right path). No errors pop up in uPaint, and it looks like its creating the files...but then they're nowhere to be found (it says "saving portrait" followed by "creating ut2003 packages" which takes a little longer)

any clues?

P.S.

Maya FTW, Dark. 3D paint tool is a wonder for finding those pesky border edges!