Secrets of the Skinner 'Book'

[JacksonCougAr]

[ Secrets of the Skinner 'Book' ]

• A HaloMods Halo 2 Community Project
  • 
    
    IMPORTANT
    http://sots.wikidot.com/
    
    Director:
    - JacksonCougar
    
    Supporting staff:
    - None, yet
    
    Contributers (in no particular order):
    - JacksonCougar
    - -DeToX-
    - theycallmechad
    
    
    Completed Sections:
    - None
    
    Sections Under Construction:
    - Table of Contents
    - Introduction
    - Bitmaps
    - Normal Maps?
    - Reflection Maps
    - Illumination Maps
    - Cube Maps?
    - Shaders
    
    Future Sections:
    - HUD Skinning?

• Q&A
  
  What is this?
  
  This is a project that I am launching which the goal of is to create a complete in depth resource on skinning halo 2. I am going to be relying largely on the community to be submitting information for the book. I will then take all of the information that I gather a release it in the form of a detailed, and sorted book.
  
  Will I be credited for the information I send you?
  
  Of course. My goal is that any information that is sent in will be sorted into "modules" in the final book. At the beginning of each module will be a small information bar about the author of the information.
  
  What if I don't want to write out a really in depth guide or resource?
  
  No problem; just send me the basic information and I will rewrite it and add to it if I see fit. The purpose of this will be to fix any grammar, and make the book easier to understand since it will all be written with the same style of writing (mine).
  
  What if you make a change that I don't like to the information I send you?
  
  Just contact me about it and I'll see about fixing it for you.
  
  When will this book be finished?
  
  It will be finished when I feel it is complete. If some sections are holding back the entire release they may be cut.
  
  I noticed that I have some information that doesn't really belong under your current sections. What can I do about this?
  
  If you have information that needs a new section devoted to it then I may create a new section!
  
  What is the role of the "Supporting Staff"?
  
  Their job is to check the informations validity, as well as make sure there are no mistakes in the final release.
  
  How can I become a "Supporting Staff"?
  
  If you have some good skinning expierience, have good grammar, and spelling skills, and have the time to test lots of random things then you will probably make it into "Supporting Staff"

[/i]

[DarkShallFall]

give you some bumpmapping secrets.

[-DeToX-]

What's a skinning book without illumination maps?

Pssst. Wanna know a secret? Hi-Res bitmaps help.
Extract to C:\Tags
I don't beleive entity UE can handle bumpmaps that big(1024x1024). But Aequitas' tool may.

Anyways, enjoy. Inject those tags with entity, and they should be the first tags you see under bitm.
To relink a bitm to a shader, go to the shad tag, and ident swap the original texture to one of these, and skin them. Have fun.

I do not want ANY discussion about these tags here. Leave this topic clean

[G.I.R.]

Oshi- I can't really help with anything, but good idea.

[theycallmechad]

The biggest secret is in creating unique, flowing, seamless textures for specific places and specific purposes in a map.

You are welcome to use my seamless texture tutorial as you wish, and are free to PM me for specific details. I don't have time to write a general skinning tutorial for you. Sorry, but it'll take WAY too long. There are too many "secrets" to write all at once (or for many to be written at all).

And you don't need the sig you have anymore. All is forgiven and taken care of. I foster no bitter feelings towards you (and you too, G.I.R.), so I hope we can move on as normal.

[JacksonCougAr]

Yes; I've used your tut in the past Chad; its really useful.

[Cryticfarm]

Why does it have to be halo 2? O well.

[JacksonCougAr]

Because I mod Halo 2 and including other things from other halo's would just make this almost impossible for me to write without a way to test things out. Sides, halo 2 Xbox is awesome.

[plushiefire]

Well, I found something I think. On coag, the cliff texture is dxt1, I made my custom texture(snow based),gave it alpha,saved as dxt1-1bit alpha then injected into CoagCliffs. The bitmap appeared to have bits of black because of the injected alpha. In game, the effect gave me semi-reflective ice patches over black cliff. Look at my latest picures in the pictures topic to see the outcome.

[theycallmechad]

Well, it's not new, but it's a good find anyway. Play Hypothermia sometime and you'll see I incorporate a form of this over the whole map (only with a slightly better method). With the way I did it, I can more flexibility as to what the "reflection" looks like.

[ScottyGEE]

If I weren't busy, chad and detox were helping, I'd be more than happy to help...
But yeah those above things (in order of importance, the last one meaning very little )
So yeah, whatever help you'd need is probably within Chad's brain. Most of the stuff on the list except cubemaps (which I haven't figured out how to break up), I know about but I'm sure others know too...And plus most other people have better online typing skills, I'd just confuse people

However, if you do actually need something, I'll write up about it. Just let me know...And once this is done, or when we have enough material, it'll go in the tutorials section and a stcky in the skins section

[JacksonCougAr]

Thanks you; DeToX was going on about something about H4xing the cubemaps >_> not sure what he meant entirely...
As for shaders; it can be a tremendous advantage to know what certain shaders are designed to DO; foremost of those would be the ground shader I think, which blends two bitmaps together using an alpha channel, then applies a bump and detail map to the whole thing.

[ScottyGEE]

Indeed it does. Things like ilumination bitmaps are where the applha is white, the things glow.

If I do get the xbox in my room itll be 100% easier and quicker for me to get information for yo...Don't know how long that may be...hopefully soon and then we can all be happy skinners

[JacksonCougAr]

Indeed; writing tutorials, once started, turns into a sad obsession for me. Indeed I do believe I release top-notch materials though >_>

[dec1234]

No space for the HUD bitmaps, someone needs to figure them ones out

[-DeToX-]

Haha Jackson I don't actually know about Cubemaps. I was joking on AIM.
Thats why I suggested the global answer h4x.

Too bad I don't know how to do them ;_;. Though maybe someone that knows how to do them could make a hi-res cubemap ;D


Another nice trick to skinning is learning to edit the shad tag to your liking.
(Swapping some select values, and idents).
Thats what chad did on the reflectivity on the ice, either that or he just swapped duplicated shad's, swapped them, and re-referenced the bitmaps he wanted.

[Geo]

The latter, I believe.

I don't mind helping here and there, I know a little. I'd probably be better proof reading or grammar checking.

[JacksonCougAr]

Yes; the latter probably.

[smokey]

I honestly did not know skinning was so intricate and difficult. I wish all of you the best of luck.

[theycallmechad]

Jackson, Please PM me with specific details. I know a lot about skinning and wouldn't have a clue where to begin. Let me know what you want to know.