Long Hair Dude

Perhaps this thread is better for my request than starting a whole new thread...

I am rather experienced (and more importantly quite fast) at working with Photoshop and graphics in general, so I reckon I could really put in some work in the character-creation field.

Problem is, I am not a coder and I know next to nothing about how the Fallout engine works.

Today I have gathered that the main character is basically just a string of various 2D animations based on what's happening in the game (i.e. there are frames for standing still, loading a gun etc, then all that multiplied by all the different armour you can be wearing, and again multiplied by the different directions the character could be facing, etc. etc.).

These are all stored in .FRM files and must first be extracted out into individual images (256 colour .BMPs?), then modified, then turned back to .FRM using Jochua's Frame Animator. Uhh.. Right?

So I have the following questions: where do I get all the lovely FRM's (and images) already created for the game? I can see a list of them in the Modification FAQ and I gather that they are extracted from the critter.DAT file, but maybe someone can suggest a program I can use for that?

Secondly, what am I doing then? :) I'm guessing that, say, if I were to modify the main male character to have green skin (purely for example), I'd be looking at every FRM with HM *** in the title, for male, hero. Right? These would then include every animation and every frame a male hero could possibly be experiencing during the course of the game. Right?

Once I get the actual .BMP images out of it, I figure I can fairly swiftly batch edit them to encompass various hair lengths and styles (which I can piece together from already existing NPC's and their animations).

Can someone help out in any way? Specifically by:
a) telling me how to extract the right FRM from critter.DAT effectively
b) pointing out anything I've written here that's wrong
c) respecting my stupid questions and general newbieness in terms of Fallout modding

Thanks a bunch guys, I figure I can put in the hours once I've gotten comfortable with all the 'coding' bits and the naming system.
 
- Use Fo2 Datexplorer, you can find it here in the files section.

- There's a naming system list on that modification faq you mentioned.

- There's no way (that i know of, with the possible exception of some simple color replacements) to effectively automate any modifications. Even with color changes and stacking layers there appears a lot of time-consuming issues.
 
Somthing wrong with this one, or is just me?

HMHIPSGA-1.gif
 
Demonslayer said:
Somthing wrong with this one, or is just me?

HMHIPSGA-1.gif
Click to expand...

Slaughter Manslaught said:
Yes, there is. Something appears at his face. Maybe its the face of the old model?
Click to expand...

No, there's not. In the original animations the critter is looking east, and then moves his head, looks south-east and proceeds with the head scratching. The first frame here is the standing idle (looking east). Look closely.

There's not so much in the way of a transition-midway frame which makes the movement look faster, more sudden. Add to that the fact that the gif examples run slightly faster than the normal speed of the animations and, there you go.
 
So uhh.

I apologise. For disappearing with no word as to why and pretty much not doing any work. By the time I'd signed on to help, a game I'd been after was close to being released, and when it was I was spending a good bit of my time on that. I'm not very good with priorities. Or critter-editing as it turns out, you guys did a better job then I could have, I'm sure.
I've been wanting to do this sooner but I've been putting it off for...a bit. But I didn't want to be one of those people that bails and never comes back. Figured "Be a man and do it. *manly chest pound*"

So again, I apologise.



Damn good job on the Dude though. I almost didn't notice the ponytail for the Metal Armor.
 
OK, Ladies and Gentlemen, you know him;



you love him;



And here it is:

(From the included read-me)

Long Hair Dude mod v1.0

By: x'il and Josan12 with expert help from Mash and Brother Soifran.

This mod adds new player character model that has long hair (based on the Ian critter).

Included in this package is Mash's "Hero Appearance mod" which allows for appearance selection on the game's character creation screen. (Big thanks to Mash! :notworthy: )

Refer to the Hero Appearance mod read-me file for installation instructions.

**You need to have sfall 1.49c or better**

Note on the animations:

a) This mod only affects the player model up to Leather Armor. Metal Armor has it's own unique look. From Combat Armor onward, the game uses the generic hero model.
b) Since the female model already has long hair, there is no change for it. :P
c) A word of warning: though all of the animations have been gone over for polishing several times, do not expect unreasonable levels of perfection!! **

*******************************
http://www.mediafire.com/?jxgryyyynk1
*******************************

Enjoy!!


** (but if you do, it shouldn't be too hard for you to fix, good luck!! :ok: )
 
This works equally well for F1 and F2, provided a recent version of sfall is installed, right?

Will this model be permanently assigned for Ian's NPC in the 'NPC armor mod'?
 
SkuLL said:
This works equally well for F1 and F2, provided a recent version of sfall is installed, right?
Click to expand...
No, sfall is for fallout 2 only. (Yes, there's a fallout 1 download with a converted version of the dx9 code to fix the blackscreen bug, but very little else.)
 
Timeslip said:
SkuLL said:
This works equally well for F1 and F2, provided a recent version of sfall is installed, right?
Click to expand...
No, sfall is for fallout 2 only. (Yes, there's a fallout 1 download with a converted version of the dx9 code to fix the blackscreen bug, but very little else.)
Click to expand...
OK, sweet - never installed it, but saw there was a Sfall section under Mods in Fallout Wikia.

It's all good though. Can't wait to give it a go!
 
Sure, but with sfall you can more easy choose which critter you want to use.

Of course, you also could just hack the fallout2.exe, put in the new long hair critter for males and be done with it. This could even work with Fallout 1.
 
Sure, but with sfall you can more easy choose which critter you want to use.
Click to expand...

Do you mean for the obj_dude? If so I can see what you mean.

I was only confused as I've added new critters before without sfall. :D
 
Yes, only for obj_dude. Using them for NPCs would require normal new protos, etc.

/Edit: Tested it ingame now. It looks really great. And 827 files.... with 6 directions each... and more images inside... uh. This really is a mega thing. And next up the bald head dude is following. :)
 
Lexx said:
/Edit: Tested it ingame now. It looks really great. And 827 files.... with 6 directions each... and more images inside... uh. This really is a mega thing.
Click to expand...

Indeed it is!! (and was to make :P)

Lexx said:
And next up the bald head dude is following. :)
Click to expand...

Mash's Hero Appearance mod has all the work already in place for new "dudes" (bald, black?) to be added and be selectable! :D

All that's needed now to add a bald dude is approx. 500 frm's... :lol:
 
It's only supposed to replace the player's hero, right?

Because it replaced everyone who uses the male hero model.
 
Then you have installed it wrong. That's why sfall and the strange folder structure is needed. Just copy&paste that stuff into your Fallout 2 folder and see what happens. Also install the latest sfall version. (I didn't tested the graphics in Fallout 2, but I assume it works that way.)
 
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