What will this guide go through?
- The different formats
- Required programs
- Extracting textures from data
- How to convert fileformats
- What is transparency? - Model limitations and texture errors - How to edit textures
- Importing textures back to data
- Tips and tricks
The Different Formats: To properly understand texturing, you need to understand what the different formats can offer.
- PNG (Wiki:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) PNG is a format that handles transparency in the easiest way, and is commonly used and adapted for use on the internet with quite low file-size as well as all
browsers handle PNG which can give you some cool effects such as the eagle you find above the index ^
The format PNG can be successfully used when texturing, however it's not good on handling transparency such as on fur on beasts.
However with a recent observation I have noticed that sometimes you actually need to use .PNG
But in general, I will ask you NOTto use PNG.
- TGA (Wiki:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) TGA handles in this case textures a lot better than PNG in terms of transparency. Instead of blanking out areas which are transparent on your drawing-board, in
Photoshop it goes after an alpha-channel which defines areas on the texture and can be used for example transperancy, but surely other things aswell.
Also, TGA does not work on everything I recently noticed, sometimes if a TGA conversion doesn't work, use PNG to BLP instead.
(more info on - What is transparency? section)
- BLP (Wiki:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) Official texturing format used by Blizzard, and is used in both Warcraft III and World of Warcraft. This file is applied on the models, texturing them, and is capable of handling transparency.
This file is later on packed together in the datafiles called .MPQ which we will get into later.
Required Programs (Get these, all links are safe)
MyWarCraftStudio v10.0 / (MVCS10.0) - ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) Program for opening, extracting and importing .MPQ files around. Flaws: Can sometimes show a 'broken' file in the MPQ files, so even though it may appear broken (you can't click on it, you'll
get an error if you do) it's still functional and can be viewed in-game/WMV. Also, you can't use the 'Copy filepath' command on those files.
This is a rare thing to happen, but it's good to know.
WoWModelViewer / (WMV) - ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) Program for viewing WoW models. Flaws: Can only view files in your WoW Data folder, all MPQ files you want to view must be there.
TGAtoBLP2 and BLP2toTGA - ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ] , [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) Used for converting textures between TGA>BLP and BLP>TGA. Flaws: The converter can't convert files with too long filenames, you'll get an error if you do.
Photoshop or any other more advanced image editing program
I use Photoshop and will be using it in this tutorial when explaining.
Extracting Textures from Data (Download MyWarcraftStudio v10.0 as shown above and install)
How to Convert Fileformats (Download TGAtoBLP2 and BLP2toTGA as shown above and extract)
Method #1: Drag n' Drop the TGA / BLP files to to .exe file and it will create a converted file at the same root/folder as where the image you dragged lies.
Method #2: This is much less painful in the long run but requires some setup first. 1: If you know how to view hidden files then do this and proceed to step 4.
2: Open up a folder in Explorer.
3: Click the tab 'Tools' > 'Folder Options' > find the 'View' tab > select the 'Show hidden files and extensions'.
Now you can see hidden folders. ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ] for images, guide made by Jaguar)
4: Now navigate to "C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\SendTo" folder, and place the TGAtoBLP2.exe and BLP2toTGA.exe files in there or just shortcuts to them.
5: Right-click the TGA or BLP file you want to convert and then you should see in the "Send to" option on the right-click those two files, click on it and it will convert without any need to drag 'n drop.
What is Transparency? Transparency in texture-files defines areas which aren't visible on the model, a necessity when it comes to doing ragged fur, ripped cloth or similar things.
TGA handles this by defining something called an Alpha Channel, which then can be used to have one texture which is clipped off, but underneath it displays the same texture but this time unclipped.
It's a bit complicated to explain, but I made some pictures so you can understand what the Alpha Channels are all about in Photoshop:
The three first images are all TGA except it shows one with only the texture enabled, the second with both the texture and the alpha-channel,
and the third with only alpha-channel enabled. The last one is an example of how PNG can screw up everything for you.
When you extract a texture from MyWarcraftStudio v10 and select PNG as the extracted format, you will end up the texture as you see on the PNG in
the example; it will not include the underlying parts as compared to TGA. Quite simply, don't extract textures with alpha-effects as PNG as you will loose data.
However if there's a totally blank, no alpha layers (the 'Alpha 1' layer is completely white, refer to above image) texture you can use .PNG instead and convert it to .BLP
Proven to be the case for some models that they can't accept TGA (it will result in an in-game complete blackness where the texture should have been with TGA) but only PNG.
Of course, despite this you will ALWAYS need to convert the format to .BLP before you import it to your MPQ-file.
This "Alpha 1" channel you see can always be found if you export a texture which has transparency as TGA, remember to keep
this channel intact otherwise it will look very blocky instead. Also, if your 'Alpha 1' layer is in some way gone, changed or screwed up, you can just export a new TGA from the datafiles
and then copy the 'Alpha 1' layer from that fresh file to the one you're working on.
Model Limitations and Texture Errors
In First off I'm going to present to you how certain models and their textures work... ...not all models have only one texture.
This is something that may limit you when it comes to choosing suitable models.
For example I will take up one of the massive and very impressive creatures on Azeroth, the Dragons.
They are very large, have wings and large body to boot... the model itself requires as many as 3 textures to completely
cover the whole thing. It takes one .blp texture each for the front section of the body, the back and wings.
Here's a trend I found when it comes to creatures and amount of textures:
More than 3 textures: player models, humanoid races with several customization options such as Taunka, Forest Trolls 3 textures: dragons, bosses 2 textures: winged creatures, wolves, mounts, heavily ornamented creatures, weapons with magical glow, creatures with glowing eyes/ornaments 1 texture: animals, items
So, in general if you want to have a simple pack and you have a Druid form which require 1 texture, need to find a model/creature
to swap with that also has just 1 texture attached to it. So you cannot make your Bearform into a huge dragon and still play without using a DBC-edit (advanced stuff),
and WoWMeFix.exe, since Bearform takes 1 texture, the Dragon takes 3 textures. Understanding what I'm talking about here?
You cannot see how many textures a model requires by simply inspecting it in WMV... you need to open the datafiles with MWCS10, locate the creature and the texture files to
be able to know. So before actually doing anything you need to find that out first (of course, if you don't want to be using MEFix.exe)
How to Edit Textures
This step is particularly tricky. Mostly because the most important work is done with my drawing tablet, and I doubt any tutorial will be able to provide you
with that.
I can't really tell you everything there is to do in Photoshop, but I can give some good tips for different tools you could use to improve your
texture creation business.
1: Making Good use of Masks What is 'masks' you say?
Masks are basically the same as a 'transperancy' channel except you can assign it to any layer you work with.
What it does is basically to cut off the area the layer can be viewed (hence it's a 'mask'), when you otherwise would had used the eraser to refine that edge.
Importing Textures Back to Data (Use MyWarcraftStudio v10.0 again)
Tips and Tricks 1: Always keep your files organized. Give them numbers ranging from TreeEnt1 , TreeEnt2 etc and save often into a new file. Saving the same file over and over again will eventually
lead to a mistake and hours/minutes of work may be lost, so always save as a new .PDF (in my case).
Make sure you separate different projects apart by creating a new folder to work in each time.
2: Consider using hotkeys on your keyboard/easily accessible shortcuts to MyWarcraftStudio, WoWModelViewer, your project folder for the texturing and lastly the Data-folder in the WoW game-directory..
3: When navigating in MyWarcraftStudio (which you need to do alot when you want to see how the latest change looks), create a simple shortcut to
important places you use! Such as the project folder; make a shortcut to it and then place that in the data-folder, and vice versa. If you click on a folder-shortcut
when navigating in there it will instantly move you to that folder instead. See Importing Textures Back to Data for how this trick is used.
4: Always look through the new patches with MyWarcraftStudio, there is often things you can use in your future modelediting or retexturing.
When a model gains player-friendly animations such as strafe, jump and swim you have a possible never before seen release on your hands if you work on it.
5: Borrow bits and pieces from other textures, so for example if you're looking to add a crystal to say a Bloodelf ear-ring, try and look up a Draenei crystal.
Then modify it to the correct size and adjust for possible distortions on the model and you have saved yourself quite a lot of work.
6: Blizzard does it, it's no shame if you do it. When you've managed to make an completely awesome re-texture, you can with filters and masking come a long way in simply recolouring it but still
make it feel and look different. For example my [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] project, has the bit discriminating secret that I never start working on a Nightelf form first off, it's always been Tauren.
But after some successful recolouring of things and then going on details such as making the Nightelves appear a bit softer in the fur compared to a Tauren by using a filter, more highlights in the
fur/feathers on the Nightelf to make it appear sleek and of course ornaments and other treats, it does look different in a better and distinguished way.
So, most of the work can actually be done by reworking your already existing things and then improve them in a different direction.
7: Get a drawing tablet. It's completely and utterly needed if you want to make your retexturing something special compared to a mish-mash of just filters, texture-borrowings and recolourings.
Of course, it's probably a requirement that you actually know how to draw so I wouldn't recommend getting the most expensive tablet you can find and then realize it's nothing for you.
8: If you have a question or request of update on this thread, please contact me through a Private Message here on MMOwned rather than wait disappointed at the thread for a reply since I rarely
check in on this thread.
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Last edited by Andrige; 08-15-2009 at 12:01 PM.
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I can't wait for this guide. Your amazing at retexturing, and hopefully you will give some helpful pointers (I'm not too good at photoshop yet). Its starting to look good already. This already gives a basic idea of retexturing. Good work on your editing!
Hmm...I think you are selling PNG a bit short. PNG's transparency for RGBA textures is as good as any other format: a full 8 bit alpha per pixel. It's only indexed PNGs which use the mask system, which is admittedly limited. Can you clarify whether or not TGAs can have an 8-bit alpha channel for indexed images? I didn't think so but I'm certainly no expert on TGAs.
You probably wonder why I bring this up. Personally, I use BLPConverter.exe ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) to do BLP<->PNG conversions and I've been really happy with how it handles transparency. The quick explanation is that it gives you the option to save a indexed&masked BLP as a RGBA PNG and vice versa, so you get the ease of working on RGBA textures and also easily keep your new BLPs in the same format as the original (which the engine requires in some situations).
My converter bias aside, I think the guide looks great so far.
Hmm...I think you are selling PNG a bit short. PNG's transparency for RGBA textures is as good as any other format: a full 8 bit alpha per pixel. It's only indexed PNGs which use the mask system, which is admittedly limited. Can you clarify whether or not TGAs can have an 8-bit alpha channel for indexed images? I didn't think so but I'm certainly no expert on TGAs.
You probably wonder why I bring this up. Personally, I use BLPConverter.exe ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) to do BLP<->PNG conversions and I've been really happy with how it handles transparency. The quick explanation is that it gives you the option to save a indexed&masked BLP as a RGBA PNG and vice versa, so you get the ease of working on RGBA textures and also easily keep your new BLPs in the same format as the original (which the engine requires in some situations).
My converter bias aside, I think the guide looks great so far.
I'm not entirely sure if TGA can save as 8-bit, and I myself haven't experienced any trouble with TGA altering my textures in any way in terms of colour or something like that, but I'll take a look into it. And that program of course.
Thought it's too nice weather outside at the moment to be abusing the forums so be back on this in a while
(will work on it later, please continue with your feedback if you have any)
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Im still havin problems because i still cant view my skin in the model viewr...basically i am creating a crimson netherdrake and i have the skin ready. I have my own .mpq file called patch-3.mpq and the when i open up the model viewer at the black netherdrake (I chose to overwrite this one), it hasnt changed. At the moment ive only reskinned the head but that shouldnt make a difference right should it?
Im still havin problems because i still cant view my skin in the model viewr...basically i am creating a crimson netherdrake and i have the skin ready. I have my own .mpq file called patch-3.mpq and the when i open up the model viewer at the black netherdrake (I chose to overwrite this one), it hasnt changed. At the moment ive only reskinned the head but that shouldnt make a difference right should it?
I am having this same problem my reskins arent showing up.
Update WoWModelViewer to the newest version, visit the site I've linked and you should see on the frontpage that 2.4.2 brought those issues along with it for WMV.
Good work on your editing! 
Personally, I use BLPConverter.exe (
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