How to create weapon skins in Left 4 Dead 2

Do you want to create a weapon skin in Left 4 Dead 2 extremely easily using modern programs?

Then click this guide to find out how!

Why did I create this guide?

I created this guide because people have been asking me over steam how to create weapon skins for Left 4 Dead 2. I was wondering why people were asking me instead of searching on google. Turns out they are either outdated or overly complex. So I decided to make this modern and easy weapon skinning guide. Also this will work for items too so long as you use the correct files.

The programs you will need and where to get them.

You will need 4 programs not offered by Steam.Yes they are all free.

• GCF Scape
  
• VTF Edit
  
• Paint.net

Paint.net

This is different from Microsoft Paint.

This program will be used to actually skin the weapon.

It contains all the necessary tools you will need including:

• Magic Wand Tool
  
• Select Pixels Tool
  
• Eraser Toll

DOWNLOAD PAINT.NET HERE[www.getpaint.net]

GCF Scape

This program will be used to fish out the files hidden deep within pak_01.dir
In other words The weapons texture and material files.

DOWNLOAD GCF SCAPE HERE[nemesis.thewavelength.net]

VTF Edit

This is the program we need to convert the .vtf files into .jpeg images and vise versa.

This is the most crucial program so make sure you don't forget it.

DOWNLOAD VTF EDIT HERE[nemesis.thewavelength.net]

LEFT 4 DEAD 2 AUTHORING TOOLS

This is what we need in order to publish any mods or addons to the Left 4 DEAD 2 workshop.

HOW TO INSTALL

Luckily, this one is offered for free by Steam. Now how to actually install it:

• STEP 1. Go to your Games Library and select Tools
  
• STEP 2. Scroll until you see Left 4 Dead 2 Authoring Tools
  
• STEP 3. Double Click and hit INSTALL
  
  
  Allow about 5 - 10 minutes for it to install.

PAINT.NET

The program to create the actual texture.

Paint.net is a much more basic version of phototshop. And its free.
Though not nearly as complex, we dont need it to be. Its easy to use and figure out so its perfect for skinning.

GCF SCAPE

This is the key

The files we are after are located in a VPK treasure chest, known as pak01.dir

And GCF Scape is the key to unlock that chest.

This program will allow us to access the files we actualy need. AKA the weapon textures.

This is also free, yayy

Download GCF Scape here:

VTF Edit

Not much to it here

All we need this for is to convert .vtf files into .tga files and vise versa.





Thats it.










This is th end of this section.

Preperation

Ok almost time to start, but dont get hasty.

Before you start there are a couple of things you need to do before you start.

Create a folder on your desktop.

Create a new folder. Call it what you want to call your addon. For example im going to make a simple AK47 skin. You would want to name it so you can which skin it is, and what you want to make it. For example if you wanted it black, you may want to call it Black AK47. But for guide purposes, I am going to make it featuring Hatsune Miku. (Dont judge me).

Creating a VPK shortcut

This is mostly for later but it wouldnt hurt to do it now.

Go TO: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2\bin on your computer
Scroll down until you see vpk.
Create a desktop shortcut



I will get more into this later, so just forget it for now.

Creating the weapon skin - Extracting and converting the files

Pak01.dir

Now to fetch the neccessary files. To make it easier copy and paste this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2

Once there type pak01.dir into your search bar, open the one that has the biggest file size, (around 3mb). Make sure you open it with GCFScape.

Once it pulls up open it with GCF Scape. It should look like this:












Not to get to the appropriate files follow this pathway:

materials > models > v_models > weapons > from here you would select the folder in which the weapon you want to chose is catagorized. I am doing th AK47 so I would go to rifles. So my pathway would look like this:
materials > models > v_models > weapons > rifle











You may have noticed each weapon has 3 files. Some weapons have more but thats OK.
Grab ALL the files that have to do with that weapon and drag them into your folder you created earlier.
DO NOT CLOSE GCFSCAPE. Instead create folders that match the path you used to get to the files. Create them in your weapons folder.

VTF Edit

VTF Edit will allow us to convert the files into .tga and .jpeg files so we can edit them in Paint.NET

Open ak47.vtf -- MAKE SURE ITS NOT ak47_exp.vtf, it will not work.
Go to file > export and export it as either a jpg, png, or tga. I prefer .tga because its more reliable.

Creating the Weapons Skin

YAY NOW WE CAN DO WHAT YOU CAME FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE

Creating the skin

Open your fancy new .tga file in Paint.NET You should get something like this:
This does not always happen but if it does, go export the previous ak47.vtf files as a jpeg as well and paste it over the .tga in Paint.NET

Design your skin

I cant really tell you HOW to do it, because your the one creating it. Best I can give ya is play around with it until your satisfied with it. You will have to use trial and error to figure out which peice is which.

Save the entire image as a .tga file

Re-Converting The Skin into proper files

Converting the skin

This process is simple, open the .tga file in VTF Edit. Save it as ak47.vtf and save it into the weapon folder. It will ask you to overwrite the file, click yes.











Now the skin is done, so now its time to convert the files back into VPK form.

In your weapons folder, drag the "materials" folder to your desktop










Now, go to this folder directory:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2\bin

Scroll until you see vpk









Make a Desktop Shortcut to it.

Drag the "materials" folder to it. It should create this:











Now the addon is ready to be tested.

Testing the addon

Put it in your game

Place the new VPK file here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2\left4dead2\addons

Now open up Left 4 Dead 2. Type map c1m1 into the developer console. Then give yourself the weapon to view the skin.








If your happy with the skin, its time to publish it.

Publishing your addon

Authoring tools

Open up Left 4 Dead 2 authoring tools. Click the "Workshop Manager" then click the "+" sign.
Drag the the VPK file into the "file" section then fill out the remainder of the addons info.









Press "Upload" and this should show up, and you are done!










If you have any questions, ask!

[Chaosboi2556]

nevermind my last comment, i was just being a doofus lol

[Chaosboi2556]

im foollowing this to the fullest but the re-converting is confusing, if wont let me open the .tga image, does it have to be in a file to open? or maybe i done something wrong?

[Edsel_Dah_Rat <3]

did you open the correct .dir file?
you have to open the main one or you wont find anyfiles

[lil_jim90]

when i pull up the v_models folder there's no specific folders with the weapon names?

[TornilloOxidado]

Now i need how to use Paint.net

[76561199116270878]

i like the way l4d2 ak-47 shares the same model as csgo and the uv textures match

[Mitsuhashi]

The lighting seems to mess up the texture (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/812142555294597130/837536375204478986/unknown.png) , is there a guide on how I can edit the lighting as well?

[JaD]

What would I do if I wanted to just edit the original texture?

[Malachite_Dragon]

I also have been unable to get the exchanged skin to show up on the weapon (in this case, the Magnum; eventually I want to change the model entirely but figuring out skin swapping seems a better first step)

[darkhinablade]

thx a lot i´m obsessed with idolm@ster and now I try to make my on skins thank you very much T_T