Which .dds file is the one to...

[Bigcatkeeper]

Im am one thing away from finishing my first ZT2 animal the Malayan Tapir. But I can't seem to find the file which allows me to edit what the animal looks like while its selected, look at the image to see what I mean, where the animal is displayed in a little box under its name and before it is adopted.

I have done all the icons and everything, its just this one thing left.

Thanks

[mikaboshi]

The image will automatically change when you have changed the .dds file for the main skin. If it's not showing up as changed in that box or when the animal is hovering over the zoo before you place it, then you either have not edited the Adult .dds or you do not have it linked correctly.

[Bigcatkeeper]

Well I've edited the correct main skin file (TapirMalayan_Adult_F.dds), they work fine in the game once they're adopted, although the males have a slight pink tinge to them (which I didn't do)??? So somethings wrong there as well.

I can't see where I would have linked to the .dds wrong, which file has the link to where mine might be wrong then. I have been using APE 2. Are there any other guides, it doesn't seem to include everything.

Thanks

[mikaboshi]

Well, APE 2 DOES have flaws, but unfortunately it is the only real guide that is available right now.

The files are linked in the NIF files, as well as the XML files; other dds links are also in the  zoopedia file, but that's mostly for biome and icons.

The best place for this kind of help is Zoo Tycoon 2 Designing Centre. It is a forum, much like ZA, that is devoted to creation.

[Bigcatkeeper]

I haven't done any editing to the nif files, I thought I read somewhere I didn't have to if I used DXTBMP to edit the .dds files.

I take it this is what i've done wrong, so what .nif files should I edit?

Thanks again

[mikaboshi]

The Nif files you need are the Tapir ones...Adult and Young both follow the same protocal

Okay, the Nif files say which files to read when they are looking for the .dds files. IF you are making a new animal, you ALWAYS have to open up these. You will need a program such as WinHex to open them and read them.

Inside the NIF, look for .dds, and it should take you to Tapir_Adult.dds or whatever it is. Now, the thing about the NIFs is that you can't change the amount of letters in there, or you will get an error. So, for example, when I did the African Crowned Crane from the Secretary Bird, I had to change BirdSecretary into CraneAfricanC. If you have a name that is SHORTER than the original one, use underscores _ to fill in the spaces. Make sure to ONLY change places that say .dds; usually there is only one unless  you are doing an animal with 2-D parts, like the peafowl, etc.

Now, make sure that you like the NIF in the .bfm file. You only change 3 places in that file, and they will look something like these:

CraneAfricanCrowned\CraneAfricanCrowned_Adult_F.NIF">

and



Now, you have to go to the main .dds file and make sure that it is named the same way as you told the NIF file that it would be. After you do that, go to the main XML file and do a "Find: .dds" thing, and make sure that that is linked right as well.

[Bigcatkeeper]

Ok thanks mikaboshi, I think I have edited all the correct files, and all seems to be fine apart from the males still have a slight pink tinge to them, what could be causing this? Also what is the animal_emote.dds used for, I haven't edited that.

Thanks

[mikaboshi]

Umm, the pink tinge could be caused by the game reading a certain color in a weird way. Try re-editing/re-saving the male .dds to see if that corrects the problem.

The animal_emote just needs to be in the folder with the rest of the .dds files; you don't have to change that at all.

[Bigcatkeeper]

There is no male .dds file for the animal im using (Bairds Tapir), just a female .dds so in game they should both be using the same .dds file and in game the female looks fine, but I have now noticed that the regular Bairds Tapir male is a slightly different colour to the female, although they should both be using the same .dds file, so im confused on how I can make the male the same colour as the female, when they both seem to be on the same .dds file.

Thanks

[mikaboshi]

could you post a picture to show what you mean, please?

[Bigcatkeeper]

Here is a picture, it shows the Bairds Tapir and my Malayan Tapir, in each picture the male is on the right, as you can see the males are slightly larger and have a pinker tinge to them. They are supposed to use the same .dds file, so why are they different colours?

Thanks

[mikaboshi]

I got curious, and went and opened ZT2 to see if I had the same thing, and I do. In that case, you can't really do much about the hue the Tapir has..that coloring is hard coded into the model or something...it maybe possible to overcome it, I think, but if it is, I don't know how to do it, and itd be difficult. You'll just have to work with it, unfortunately.