SRIV What goes into an item of clothing (SR3 and SR4).

[Bring the Noise]

On the made hunt to convert some of the smaller items from SR3 over to SR4 (like the items that were turned into combined costumes, or items that were left out/replaced).

I am wondering what exactly is needed for an item of clothing in the SR3 and/or SR4 engines.

Looking through different VPP_PC packfiles I can see the following is needed for 1 item in game:
2 custmesh_******.str2_pc files, one male and one female (with an f designation at the end of the number for the female)
2 *_pc.cmorph_pc files (male starts with cm_ and female variant starts with cf_)
the customize_item.asm (or variants like dlc1_customize_item.asm that is in the dlc1.vpp_pc pack file for SR3).
A version of customization_items.xtbl (or dlc*_customization_items.xtbl for a dlc)
A version of customization_outfits.xtbl (or dlc*_customization_outfits.xtbl for dlc)
And possibly the Customization_stores.xtbl (so the items are listed at the correct store).

It was mentioned in another thread that mesh and morphs inside the str2_pc pack files might be compatible between SR3 and SR4, but what about the separate cmorph_pc file that works with the str2_pc?
http://www.saintsrowmods.com/forum/...h-armor-was-it-removed.3363/page-3#post-33142

And if Someone was to make a custom vpp (example: SR3_customize_items.vpp_pc) that repacked the str2's into a SR4 format and included extra tables like the DLC's do.
Would this work as a stand alone mod.
In other words, if the vpp was created correctly a user would just drop this single file into the "cache" folder and the engine would add the additions from the tables in the vpp to the games existing tables. As well as load the cmorph and str2's so the player would see and be able to use the items in the game.

For current SR4 mods we do a really rough install.
We modify existing tables or str2's and drop those modified files into the root folder along with a copy of the asm files.
Then we use the SR4 tools stream2update to get the asm file to work with the changed files in the root directory.

I actually want to go the route of creating unique vpp's that with add content, instead of replacing content.

What we can currently do (9/7/2013) is this.

We are currently able to use Minimaul's version 1.8 SR4 toolkit is to unpack/repack SR4 str2, vpp's, and etc. As well as Update ASM files (this is a great tool set and I would be lost without it).

Use the SR3 unpack/repack texture tool set to extract DDS files from the cpeg/gpeg files within the str2's (allowing modification and repacking of the textures).

With Gibbed SR3 toolset we can convert SR3 ASM's to an XML format (then use an xml editor like notepad++ to extract relevant data for an item).

We are still missing an ASM to XML/XML to ASM tool for SR4 (the gibbed SR3 version crash's when trying to read an SR4 ASM file).

And I am currently unsure on the cmorph_pc files. If this has changed from SR3 to SR4, then a conversion tool will be needed as well for the older items to be carried over to SR4.

Hopefully with the SDK coming in the future we will be able to create completely new content and create versions of that content not only for SR4 but for SR3 as well.

If I missed anything that is needed for an item of clothing, please let me know what it is...

Thanks in advance

 

[Arglaar]

DO NOT sign your posts at the end. You are not writing a letter, and we can already see your username when we glance to the left at your account.

 

[Bring the Noise]

Name removed...

Oh and it looks like the cmorph's are compatible between the 2 games.
Superdemus was able to fix the wildchild pants in his SR4 shinny cloths mod by bringing over the cmorph from SR3.

I still have questions about what goes into creating a vpp_pc pack file and how adding one would affect the game engine?

My other major question would be on the tables.
If customize_items.xtbl and dlc1_customize_items.xtbl add to each other in the game to create the main table (along with other customize_items.xtbl from other dlc's).
Then... What is the max amount of items that are allowed in a table within the game engine?
Is this hard coded and carried over from the Consoles, or is this something that can be changed in the PC version.

 

[[V] Knobby]

I still have questions about what goes into creating a vpp_pc pack file and how adding one would affect the game engine?

A str2 file is a streaming container written to disk. It requires code to define a container and try to load it. Usually this is data driven via a table file.

My other major question would be on the tables.
If customize_items.xtbl and dlc1_customize_items.xtbl add to each other in the game to create the main table (along with other customize_items.xtbl from other dlc's).
Then... What is the max amount of items that are allowed in a table within the game engine?
Is this hard coded and carried over from the Consoles, or is this something that can be changed in the PC version.

This is hard coded and not very dlc friendly, much less mod friendly. Lots of these are statically defined arrays that use the index to indicate what thing you're talking about. This is great for network bandwidth, but really bad for arbitrarily loaded things. Weapon 27 isn't the same if you don't load exactly the same data. To top it off, some of these arrays are just written 1-1 into the gamesave data, so changing the array is game save breaking. I thought I saw a post with the limits recorded, but I'm not sure where it was.

This is part of the trouble I am trying to work around with the mod code, but it is slow going due to time constraints.

 

[Bring the Noise]

Thanks for the timely response.

With the tables having a limit and the dlc's and default game probably filling that limit.
I guess that leaves us with replace instead of add, as modders that is.

Well it is good to know, that way we (as a modding community) know what boundaries we have to work within.

Side note: One of the things I was hoping to see (maybe even work on) when the SDK arrived would be unique backpacks (like a set of flapping wings or a flowing cape). But if the tables have a limit then this could be a problem (I definitely do not want to step on Volition's toes and take up space that DLC's will fill in any of the tables).

Still it may be possible to do the Wings or a Cape by replacing one of the lesser used packs (like the parachute pack).
It would have to reuse the names of all of the files that associate with the item it would replace though.
Essentially making a conversion mod for unused items...now that's a thought.

 

[[V] Knobby]

The general idea of the mod framework is to support adding arbitrary amounts of things. Not sure when that will happen though and it isn't on a roadmap yet.