Any Good Skin Change Mods?

[Raccoon General]

Howdy all, I'm not that technologically inclined, so I'm at a moderate loss when it comes to installing mods. I grew up with this game, and the clone skins will always have a nostalgic place in my heart. However, does anyone have any mods that change the clone skins to be more in line with modern cannon? Nothing crazy, just some minor graphics changes? Thanks

[QUAKETALLICA]

There's no shortage of amazing mods that do that. I can give you a list of the best ones to check out.

----------------------
Installation of most mods in this game is really easy. The download will always come with a text file explaining what to do, but usually it will either install via an .exe that installs itself, or it will come in the form of a folder with a 3-lettered name. All you have to do is go to wherever Battlefront II is installed (game directory), then go to "GameData" folder. Create a new folder called "addon" if it doesn't already exist, and then place your downloaded 3-letter name folder in "addon." That's all you do, and next time you launch the game you will see the custom map in the game, highlighted in yellow.

----------------
Now, let's get to it!

---------------

First, you want to install the v1.3 unofficial Patch. This is required for most other mods to work, but these days it comes packaged with the most popular ones anyway, so it may or may not be necessary to get it on its own. Download; https://www.moddb.com/games/star-wars-battlefront-ii/downloads/na137910

----------------
Next, there is SleepKiller's Shader Patch. Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/shader-patch

--------------

The most impressive and modern graphics overhaul is HarrisonFog's Remaster.

This redoes all the units, with a skin changer in the fake console (fake console is a feature of v1.3 patch) with many different clone legions, alternate skins for hereos, choice of classic or modern dark trooper/imperial engineer, many different aliens or humans for rebels, etc.) It redoes all the sound effects. The maps (both space and ground) are re-made from scratch to look gorgeous and also be full of subtle references and nods to the films. He also remade a number of popular mod maps from back in the day. Finally, he has a special reshade graphics mod that goes well with his remastered maps and units. Personally I prefer the "Lite" version as it is more subtle and looks better, but you can choose whichever you prefer.

If all that sounds overwhelming, fear not! It's all been compiled into a single download with easy installation process. (He even made a custom manual to install it, stylezed after the original game's manual that came with the disc.)

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/hd-graphics-mod

----------

If you want HD main menu screens, download this one by Anakin: https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-battlefront-ii-full-hd-interface/


----------------

The above graphics mod by HarrisonFog is 100% vanilla compatible, which means you can use it while playing online. However, it also means the gameplay is untouched.

There have been loads of custom "era" mods over the years, these not only change the units' graphics but also gameplay. Here are some of the best ones over the years:

---------------


1) Conversion Pack 2.0 / 2.2 patch

Basically adds all the Battlefront 1 maps to BF2, adds custom units and heroes, and also an entire KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic) era to play from with its own maps.

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-battlefront-conversion-pack

2) BFX (Battlefront Xtreme)

This requires the above Conversion Pack 2.0 and the 2.2 patch to be installed. This has consistently been my favorite era mod to play over all these years, because it has a wide variety of units, and the gameplay is such a huge improvement over the stock units. I can't recommend it enough. The graphics look marginally better than vanilla, not really a radical redesign but just subtly touched up to be an enhanced version of the original, but the best changes are in huge new gameplay additions.

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/battlefront-extreme-bfx/downloads/battlefront-extreme-bfx

3) Dark Times 2: Rising Son.

Not only does this massive mod add an entirely new era, set just before A New Hope with units inspired by Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and tons of custom planets to play on, but it actually has an entire custom campaign entirely within the Galactic Conquest mode. Another older mod, but still amazing and highly recommended.

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/the-dark-times/downloads/dark-times-ii-rising-son

4) Clone Wars Extended Era 3.0.

This is a more recent mod than the previous 3. The graphics are noticeably more modern, though not quite as professionally polished as HarrisonFog's professional level work. As the title implies, this one focuses exclusively on Clone Wars era, and adds tons of new bada** units and tons of new planets to play on with them. The custom units of this mod are completely overpowered, but that makes it all the more fun to use. Not that balance really matters in Instant Action anyway.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/clone-wars-extended/downloads/clone-wars-extended-era-30

5) Ansem Darkseeker's Map Pack.

Another more modern, hugely expansive custom era mod and mappack.

6) Battlefront III Legacy

This Total Conversion mod basically tries as much as is possible to recreate the cancelled Free Radical Battlefront III within the limits of Battlefront II's engine. It uses original assets from that cancelled game, and most notably features seamless space to ground combat with destructible capital ships, ion cannons, and more. Compare footage of the latest version of it with footage of the cancelled game, and it's uncanny how similar it is. It is really impressive work considering how small the team making it is, just a few people. Currently, it features 4 maps: Coruscant, Cato Nemoidia, Bespin, and Dantooine.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-battlefront-iii-legacy

------------------------------

Of course there are probably hundreds more great maps and mods out there. This barely scratches the surface. I recommend checking out Kryo's channel on Youtube to see demos--he's done videos on many if not most of them.

[Duke]

Witch mod is the best for playing as Captain Rex

[QUAKETALLICA]

Originally posted by Duke:

Witch mod is the best for playing as Captain Rex

I have no doubt there are tons of clone wars era themed mods that do that.

One in particular that I remember though, is a Geonosis map called "Landing at Point Rain" that was inspired by one of the early episodes of the 2008 Clone wars tv show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4G8uwJvkPw


Another one inspired by the tv show is Battle of Umbara

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMlq5K_viFE

Both feature Captain Rex. Though like I said, it's far from an exhaustive list. Pretty much any "Battlefront II Clone Wars Era Mod" that appears in search results is likely to have each mod author's own versions of famous clone troopers like Rex, Cody, Fox, Wolf, etc.

[Duke]

Thanks, I'll check them out

[Raccoon General]

Originally posted by QUAKETALLICA:

There's no shortage of amazing mods that do that. I can give you a list of the best ones to check out.

----------------------
Installation of most mods in this game is really easy. The download will always come with a text file explaining what to do, but usually it will either install via an .exe that installs itself, or it will come in the form of a folder with a 3-lettered name. All you have to do is go to wherever Battlefront II is installed (game directory), then go to "GameData" folder. Create a new folder called "addon" if it doesn't already exist, and then place your downloaded 3-letter name folder in "addon." That's all you do, and next time you launch the game you will see the custom map in the game, highlighted in yellow.

----------------
Now, let's get to it!

---------------

First, you want to install the v1.3 unofficial Patch. This is required for most other mods to work, but these days it comes packaged with the most popular ones anyway, so it may or may not be necessary to get it on its own. Download; https://www.moddb.com/games/star-wars-battlefront-ii/downloads/na137910

----------------
Next, there is SleepKiller's Shader Patch. Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/shader-patch

--------------

The most impressive and modern graphics overhaul is HarrisonFog's Remaster.

This redoes all the units, with a skin changer in the fake console (fake console is a feature of v1.3 patch) with many different clone legions, alternate skins for hereos, choice of classic or modern dark trooper/imperial engineer, many different aliens or humans for rebels, etc.) It redoes all the sound effects. The maps (both space and ground) are re-made from scratch to look gorgeous and also be full of subtle references and nods to the films. He also remade a number of popular mod maps from back in the day. Finally, he has a special reshade graphics mod that goes well with his remastered maps and units. Personally I prefer the "Lite" version as it is more subtle and looks better, but you can choose whichever you prefer.

If all that sounds overwhelming, fear not! It's all been compiled into a single download with easy installation process. (He even made a custom manual to install it, stylezed after the original game's manual that came with the disc.)

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/hd-graphics-mod

----------

If you want HD main menu screens, download this one by Anakin: https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-battlefront-ii-full-hd-interface/


----------------

The above graphics mod by HarrisonFog is 100% vanilla compatible, which means you can use it while playing online. However, it also means the gameplay is untouched.

There have been loads of custom "era" mods over the years, these not only change the units' graphics but also gameplay. Here are some of the best ones over the years:

---------------


1) Conversion Pack 2.0 / 2.2 patch

Basically adds all the Battlefront 1 maps to BF2, adds custom units and heroes, and also an entire KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic) era to play from with its own maps.

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-battlefront-conversion-pack

2) BFX (Battlefront Xtreme)

This requires the above Conversion Pack 2.0 and the 2.2 patch to be installed. This has consistently been my favorite era mod to play over all these years, because it has a wide variety of units, and the gameplay is such a huge improvement over the stock units. I can't recommend it enough. The graphics look marginally better than vanilla, not really a radical redesign but just subtly touched up to be an enhanced version of the original, but the best changes are in huge new gameplay additions.

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/battlefront-extreme-bfx/downloads/battlefront-extreme-bfx

3) Dark Times 2: Rising Son.

Not only does this massive mod add an entirely new era, set just before A New Hope with units inspired by Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and tons of custom planets to play on, but it actually has an entire custom campaign entirely within the Galactic Conquest mode. Another older mod, but still amazing and highly recommended.

Download: https://www.moddb.com/mods/the-dark-times/downloads/dark-times-ii-rising-son

4) Clone Wars Extended Era 3.0.

This is a more recent mod than the previous 3. The graphics are noticeably more modern, though not quite as professionally polished as HarrisonFog's professional level work. As the title implies, this one focuses exclusively on Clone Wars era, and adds tons of new bada** units and tons of new planets to play on with them. The custom units of this mod are completely overpowered, but that makes it all the more fun to use. Not that balance really matters in Instant Action anyway.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/clone-wars-extended/downloads/clone-wars-extended-era-30

5) Ansem Darkseeker's Map Pack.

Another more modern, hugely expansive custom era mod and mappack.

6) Battlefront III Legacy

This Total Conversion mod basically tries as much as is possible to recreate the cancelled Free Radical Battlefront III within the limits of Battlefront II's engine. It uses original assets from that cancelled game, and most notably features seamless space to ground combat with destructible capital ships, ion cannons, and more. Compare footage of the latest version of it with footage of the cancelled game, and it's uncanny how similar it is. It is really impressive work considering how small the team making it is, just a few people. Currently, it features 4 maps: Coruscant, Cato Nemoidia, Bespin, and Dantooine.

https://www.moddb.com/mods/star-wars-battlefront-iii-legacy

------------------------------

Of course there are probably hundreds more great maps and mods out there. This barely scratches the surface. I recommend checking out Kryo's channel on Youtube to see demos--he's done videos on many if not most of them.

You sir are amazing. Does this (pls don't think less of me here) affect achievements in any way?

[Raccoon General]

I was also checking some of these mods out, it doesn't seem like most of them are compatible with the classic Collection? Or am I just reading it wrong?

[ChristmasMeat]

Originally posted by Raccoon General:

I was also checking some of these mods out, it doesn't seem like most of them are compatible with the classic Collection? Or am I just reading it wrong?

Most Battlefront II mods are compatible with small tweaks, even if not explicitly stated. Major exception being mods with new factions. Battlefront I on the other hand is less friendly.

[HowUncivilized]

I've downloaded the Conversion Pack Mod, started the game, saw all the new maps but as soon as I start such a modded map my game crashes..And yes I've also got the 1.3 patch. Any advice is welcome

[Raccoon General]

Originally posted by HowUncivilized:

I've downloaded the Conversion Pack Mod, started the game, saw all the new maps but as soon as I start such a modded map my game crashes..And yes I've also got the 1.3 patch. Any advice is welcome

Same here