Need Help in Changing Colors w/ Kimera

[Soul]

Well, I'm kinda sick of cloud wearing purple. So, if anyone knows where can I find one, or can give me links on how to change his color, I'm honored to have your comments. 

Kinda look like this:


Edit: I managed to extract the model itself using kimera. My first attempt to recolor a model. Well, I pretty much don't know what I was doing. I just follow my newb knowledge about coloring.


Next, I tried changing the colors of the part that I chose using vertex colors. I don't know what just happend. I know its not quite the same thing. Coz I see that the colors did not blend in well as the original colors should be.


Lastly, I tried clicking apply changes and hoped that it would turned out the same thing, but with different colors but, I did not.


Uhmm. I dont really know what I'm doing here actually. I just tried to change the color but it turned out tobe a mess. If someone would like to teach me what to do or just give links on how to, or to some links where can I find what I am looking for, I would be happy to hear your thoughts and comments. 

PS: If I'm not in the right thread, kindly direct this topic of mine to the designated thread. I kinda changed the title coz I wanna do it personally now and I also want to aquire knowledge in doing this kinda things so that if something happens, I can easily do it by myself and not bug other people to do it for me. 

[dahfa]

i can only tell you how to change cloud's field model color.

things you'll need:
Highwind tools http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=6389.0

I used Kimera 0.93(said to be the release that was not buggy)
you can find it in here
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=4194.500
and here
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=4194.425

File lists for locating models in char.lgp or battle.lgp
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=8874.0

firstly
use highwind to extract files from char.lgp
(char.lgp usually located in program files/square soft/final fantasy 7/data/field/ )

extract files to an empty folder(wherever you feel convinient)

secondly,use the file list link to find the cloud's field model.

in this case i use aaaa.hrc (cloud skeleton file)

 then open Kimera  and open model of cloud aaaa.hrc you get something like
this

select the parts you want to recolor...

in this case i chose the torso by double clicking it.
and you get something like this

the fill color tool is located to the  right of the screen.

after that click apply changes and you get something like this.

you may continue doing the same thing with other parts and with your selection of colors to your liking.

for more info i suggest searching google on Borde's kimera Tutorial.


EDIT:Hahaha.

you already found your way.good for you then.

[Soul]

Oh at last. A reply from someone.  Thanks for the info dude. I'm going to try it right away and inform you if something good of bad happens. I surely hope its a good thing though.

Edit: I did Everything you said. And here's the result.


What do you think? will it be too Dark when I put it in-game? I chose 15 in red, blue, and green. And I chose compile in single file when I saved it.

[dahfa]

well i really am not sure .

you'll have to find out then.

get it in game.

the boring bit about this kind of modding is extracting files in and out of char.lgp....

i wonder what that guy(in your first pic) used. seems like it was textured but then again im not sure..

[obesebear]

Tetsujin, For the field files I'm pretty sure you don't want to compile as a single bone.

Dahfa, if you're using Aali's driver you can extract all the char.lgp (or any lgp) files into a folder in the main directory and the game will read them from there instead of having to decompile and compile the .lgp over and over again. 

[dahfa]

really?
was there any documentation about it?

coz that's the first time i heard this.

edit:Uh nevermind.
i've read that it can cause slowdowns because ff7 read better from lgp on NTFS and FAT32 system(if im not mistaken)as opposed to having uncompiled lgp files.

[sl1982]

Depends how fast your system is. I have an SSD and direct mode causes me no slowdowns.

[dahfa]

wow..SSD ..too bad mine was just a 3yrs old dual core laptop and crap hdd.

yknow how acers laptops are.cheap price cheap built too...

not gonna bother playing ff7 on high end pc..not yet..maybe when team avalanche manage to overhaul everything in ff7.

[Soul]

Well, how about for battle models?Do I do the same thing if I want to change their color? I mean, I'm trying to recolor Apz Cloud but when I open the model with kimera, and tried to change their color piece by piece, it will only show white textures. Do I need some sort of another program or something?

[dahfa]

apparently i have no idea how to recolor parts from battle.lgp
or model that is not originally from lgp.

something about UV mapping the thing...afaik.

[Soul]

Is that so, bummer then.  Well, can you tell me what all the cloud field models that you know? Coz I'm planning to recolor all of them. All I know is the the one in the char.lgp, chocobo.lgp, snowboard_us.lgp and world_us.lgp. Is there a cloud field model in f_level.lgp?

Edit: I tried recoloring cloud in chocobo.lgp. How can I make the colors contain shadow like textures?


Coz mines plain black without the shades of lighter and darker colors. Just compare the purple color with the black and you'll see the difference.

Edit: By the way, I would like to thank those who helped me change clouds field model color. Specialy to dahfa for giving me a descriptive guide on how to use kimera. And to obesebear for telling me not to compile it into a single bone when I save it.

When I'm in towns.


When I'm in the outside world.


Now if anyone knows how to change the color of battle models, please kindly tell me how to, what programs should I use, and alike. Another thing, can anyone please tell me if you know other cloud models which located inside the game except for char.lgp and world_us.lgp.

[dahfa]

if i know i would have done the same thing.that is ....to give the field model some kind of detail/shadow texture.

the thing is there's two type of models(i'm assuming) in ff7.
first one is the models usually found in field model.They don't have painted texture on them.they rely on the lighting system produce by the field surrounding/environment.(again if im not mistaken)

then there's the model you usually found in battles.if im not mistaken during battles the lighting system is off they rely on the shadow texture on the model to give it sense of depth.

well there would be three if we count custom made model with custom texture with the UV mapping done altogether.(this usually requires knowledge of 3D modeling program such as blender/3dsmax/maya)

What you can do is find models that have texture that can fit with your cloud model from  other lgp.

again to find the files you want refer back to this:
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=8874.0

[Soul]

Thanks for the information!  I'll explore more on how to do this kinda thing.. Coz I saw someone changed their clouds battle model color but I don't know how did they do that.

[dahfa]

my bad..there's actually option to have that shadowy texture..you double click the parts you want to edit and then enable lighting
then play around with the XYZ.apply changes.then you're set.

kill textured group option remove polygon where the textures are drawn.
if you didnt do this you get white polygons where the texture should be.

[Soul]

So, you mean I must tick lighting first and then I'll repaint? But ticking the lighting makes the model part black. But I'll try it when I get home.  What about the battle models? Will it work if I did what you said about the lighting part?

[dahfa]

tick the light then you edit the X Y Z so you know where the light should shine on the parts you want to edit.where the light shine there's shadow along with it.this create illusion of depth and details. also take note of whether the shadow will cause the models to be dark in game.then you have to edit brightness.

 the thing is you mentioned APZ cloud right?.i dont think apz cloud can be recolored straight away and enable lighting.
you have to kill textured groups first otherwise you get white texture instead even though you've recolored it.

though ive never tried anything with kill texture groups option...so i really have no idea what im talking about ..maybe just a gist of it.

[Soul]

Oh, okay then. Well, what X Y Z thingy are you talking about? I really dont know what X Y Z stands for. All I know is that I'll double click the part that I want to recolor, then the .p file will open right? Then, I'll tick lighting? Then, I'll recolor? I tried it once before, but I did not push through with it because I think theres soomething wrong with it. It becomes black whenever I tick lighting. Is it normal? Or theres something that I did wrong?

[dahfa]

Okay , normally it will be dark the first time you check the enable light.But that's just the first step.




The second step is to play around with the XYZ  that i've marked in the picture.
if you set it like in the picture you will see the part that was shone with light
and the part covered in shadow.
So play around with XYZ to get the kind of lighting you want then if you're done with it click Apply Changes.

[Soul]

Gee, so thats how it is. Thanks for the info. Now I can finally start recoloring those cloud models which has lighting effect. By the way, do you know how to extract battle models and turn them into field models?

[dahfa]

i know how but to fully answer your question requires a long answer.
maybe i'll do a tutorial next time on how i did it.

but for now i'll leave you with this tutorial by Borde.The creator of Kimera.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KHYZ658M

hope that could help you a little bit.
The thing is you'll just have to play around with Kimera alot.

[Soul]

Okay then. Thanks!