Post by barchester on Jun 30, 2019 5:17:03 GMT 10
Made a new thread for this since I figured those who don't have Photoshop would be looking for Gimp specifically and this would be more visible.
I've discovered that you can reskin using Gimp and a few other programs. I apologize that I won't be going in-depth about this; I only figured it out this morning and I feel like my method is confused and clumsy anyway-I'm operating out of some ignorance about filetypes and image manipulation. I only half-understand how I did this. If I can figure out a streamlined and more straightforward way to do this, then maybe I'll make a more detailed tutorial, but for now I don't really have the time or desire to make one. But I did want people to know that it can be done.
Slight tutorial:
1. Please read the other texture editing threads to get something of a handle on how texture editing in this game works. You will need the texture converter tool from FluffyQuack as well as the Compressonator program (I use the GUI version).
2. The DDS files that are created from RE2's tex.10 files are, I believe, in BC7 compression. Gimp cannot open these files using the standard DDS plugin that is widely available on the internet.
3. Watch this youtube video, which in the description contains links to tools and a python script that will allow Gimp to read BC7 DDS files. The youtube video also explains certain principles of how to edit these files.
YOUTUBE LINK:
PYTHON SCRIPT: https://gist.github.com/Equinox-/19d726d4c9cd59f8617429b3a6a8e16c
CONVERTER TOOL: github.com/Microsoft/DirectXTex/wiki/Texconv
4. NOTE: In the video, he is able to simply export the DDS file and have it work. I cannot get Gimp to properly export these BC7 files. I have a workaround, which requires Compressonator. I forget where I downloaded it from, but it's linked in one of the main texture editing threads on this subforum.
5. Additionally, alphas are a problem. To edit the colors in a way that I understand, I have to destroy the original alpha, but we need it back otherwise the finished skin will look metallic or worse. To do this, what I do is I open two copies of the DDS file in Gimp. In one copy I go to Colors->Components, decompose it and extract the alpha so that I have a copy of the original alpha sitting by. In the other copy, I go to Layer->Transparency->Transparency Threshold. I alter the threshold until the colors are visible. I edit the colors as desired. I then decompose the image (see youtube video above), paste the original alpha onto the fucked up alpha layer, anchor the layer to overwrite it, and then recompose the image.
6. Since I cannot get Gimp to export the BC7 correctly, I save this image as a png.
7. Open Compressonator. Open the png image. Apply the requisite number of mipmaps (I use the textures from the streaming folder, so I set it to 8x8 to create 9 mipmaps [note: i only figured this out through trial and error based on the error message that Fluffyquack's tool gave me when failing to convert the texture due to the improper number of mipmaps]). Now compress the image, have it be BC7, and check the "use Alpha" box.
8. Take the completed DDS file, rename it, then drag and drop onto Fluffy's texture converter tool. You should now have a tex.10 file. Install this however you want (directly or through mod manager).
Proof it works:
(I'll post this in reskins after I try a couple other things, for people who might want it. It might be a few days).
You can reskin without pirating buying Photoshop!