GUIDE: Replace default campaign units with custom colours

[Schweineschnute]

As I wrote in another thread, years ago there were tutorials for this on the web but they all vanished. But luckily I managed to recreate the steps necessary to do this :)

First things first: Replacing unit colours in the singleplayer campaign of Dark Crusade (and it should work with Soulstorm as well) is not as easy as it sounds. Campaign units are hardcoded into the gamefiles and you need to dig in those to replace the default colour schemes. Luckily, all the difficult work is performed by easy to use modding tools. You don't need actual knowledge of editing textures and/or meshes for this :)

What you need:

IBBoard's SGA-Explorer[skins.hiveworldterra.co.uk] and Texture Tool[skins.hiveworldterra.co.uk]
Some kind of bulk file renaming tool, like Bulk Rename Utility (Freeware)[www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk]

Optional: Adonis' Tau with custom badges[skins.hiveworldterra.co.uk] skins if you want to see your logo on the units. Vanilla DC unfortunately doesn't allow for Tau units to wear a custom badge.

How it works:

Step 1: Create the colour scheme you wish to use in the Dawn of War army painter and save it.

Step 2: Download and extract the SGA-Explorer and the Texture Tool and place them where you like, ideally in a separate location so you don't mix up things. They are portable tools and do not require installation.

Step 3: Start the SGA-Explorer. This tool is able to extract data contained within relic's SGA-archives the game uses to access it's hardcoded information. For Dark Crusade, select File->Open and open the file "DXP2Data-SharedTextures-Full.sga", located in your [Dark Crusade]/DXP2/ folder. For original DoW units that did not receive an update with the expansion sets (or if you want to edit the original campaigns) you want to open the "Data-SharedTextures-Full.sga" in the [Dark Crusade]/wh40k/ folder. The latter is also important to edit most buildings, since those did not receive new models - so for any race except Tau and Necrons you will want to perform both these steps.

Again:
DXP2/data/art/ebps/races/[race]/texture_share/ - folder for only DC units
W40k/data/art/ebps/races/[race]/texture_share/ - folder for all units from original Dawn of War
(Thanks to Einheit 731 to point this out)

Once you did that you'll see a explorer-like interface on the left hand side of the window saying "data". These are the folders inside that archive you just opened like a common .zip file. Expand the folder tree by double clicking the parent and subfolders until you reach "data/art/ebps/races/[race]/texture_share", [race] of course being the name of the army you like to customize.

We are interested in all .wtp files in this directory, for example "tau_fire_warrior_default.wtp". All of them are named after their unit, ending on "_default.wtp". You can either select them by holding down CTRL and clicking on them or you simply select all of them and clean up later. Once you selected your files right-click and extract them, ideally to the same location they have in the SGA file. So you want to extract them in "[Dark Crusade]/DXP2/data/art/ebps/races/[race]/texture_share/" - it doesn't matter where you edit your files, but this is the location your finished, edited files have to be in order for the game to find them.

Now go to that location and delete all files that are not .wtp files. All of your files should now look like this "tau_fire_warrior_default.wtp". Now create a working directory of your choice and copy your .wtp files in there, keeping the others as a backup in case something goes wrong. Don't worry, you cannot damage anything, the original files are all within the SGA archive. In case anything doesn't work anymore just delete everything in the DXP2/data/ folder and start over. Important for Tau: In order to see your custom badges you have to put the .wtp files from the optional "Tau custom badges" download to this location, overwrite the ones extracted from the SGA.

Step 4: Start the Texture Tool. Click Edit->Advanced mode (we need that) and then once again Edit->options. In the options menu enter the required paths for your game directory, texture directory and teamcolours directory. Your game directory is, well your game directory, where the darkcrusade.exe is. Texture directory is your texture work directory, for example "[Dark Crusade]\DXP2\Data\art\ebps\races\tau\texture_share\wtp\" whereas "wtp" is the folder you created to edit the wtps. Teamcolours path has to link to "[Dark Crusade]\Profiles\Profile1\dxp2\Schemes\" - this is where your army painter schemes are saved, the number after "profile" changes accordingly to how many active profiles you have, usually it's just the default one. Then click on "Team Colour Settings" and then "Import Team colour". You should be directed to the "schemes" folder and select the colour you want to paint your units in. You will notice that the colours do not have the names you saved them as, they are just numbered scheme_x.teamcolour. Usually the higher numbers are the most recent colours. You can select any one you want and see if it's the correct one. Once you found it click "save preference" and "ok".

Step 5: Click "compile TGA" and select all the .wtp files. This will generate .TGA files with the applied teamcolour in the same directory.

Now we need the bulk rename utility. Dawn of War comes out-of-the-box with seven default colour schemes. We must replace the colour scheme used in the single player campaign with our new one. To do that we load up our renaming tool and add the suffix "_default_x" to our TGA files, the x being the colour used in the campaign.

CHAOS: x = 0. Alpha Legion (SS standard) or 1. Word Bearers (DC standard)

SPACE MARINES: x = 0. Blood Ravens (DC + SS standard)

ELDAR: x = 5. Ulthwe (DC + SS)

IMPERIAL GUARD: x = 4. Kronus Liberators (DC), 4. Karauvan Conservators (SS)

ORCS: x = 4. Evil Sunz (DC + SS)

Tau: x = 0. T'au (DC), 4. Fal'Shia (SS)

Necrons: x = 0. Default (DC + SS)

Step 6: Click .tga -> .dds in the Texture Tool. Select all your .tga files, this will generate .dds files with the same name. Select "DXT 1" compression and click "no" if you are asked to include more mappers.

Step 7: Click "Make RTX" and select your .dds files. This will generate .rtx files of the same name.

Step 8: Copy all of your newly created .rtx files to "[Dark Crusade]/DXP2/data/art/ebps/races/[race]/texture_share/"

DONE!

Now your colour scheme should replace the default campaign colours :) Please note that these changes only apply to the tactical map, the strategical (world) map still shows default skins as well as the character and gear selection. This can also be changed, those skins just are located in a different location, maybe I'll add that bit to the guide as well at a later point.

Have fun playing the campaigns with your favourite colour scheme :)

[Schweineschnute]

EzekyleBlacklegion původně napsal:

Hey me again, so the guide's great and all and I tried following it as best I could but could you make a video tutorial?

Me? No, I won't do that. I plan on making it a guide still, but I never find the right time for it. If anyone wants to do this though I'd assist with everything we contributed to this thread.

[МОЛОДОЙ ДЗЕРЖИНСКИЙ]

Kripter původně napsal:

Can someone tell me the number for _default_x at sister of battle?

The number is 7. U can check it in Data/scenarios/sp/races... with notepad.

[Kaname Madoka]

thanks man!

[Royial]

Hey all, just wanted to say thanks for all the help and the guide, it worked great, I've changed the color for all the armies in my SoulStorm game and it just is awesome.

I didn't see this in the thread anywhere so for anyone looking to change the color scheme for the Dark Eldar, I was able to use- _default_1 during the renaming step and was able to successfully change the color of the Dark Eldar in my campaign.

I can also confirm that the Sisters of Battle _default_7 worked for me as well. That should cover everything.

I would also like to ask, specifically for SoulStorm.

Can anyone tell where & how I can change the schemes for Wargear Menu and the Selection Screen? These are still at their default schemes and I'd like to match them if possible.

I've searched through the main files in SS trying to look for it but, I haven't found it and I'm not really sure what the next step for changing those would be anyways.

Thanks in advanced, hope my question was clear!

[Fitfit]

Hi guys, I am new to modding on DoW. I'd like to give a shot at editing the textures for the Imperial Guard (to use in MP), but I have a hard time finding the actual files.

Could it be that I need to install winter assault to retrieve them?
I was able to find the other armies.

So my question is the following: where does "Soulstorm" looks for the textures files for the IG?

[tan2029]

Kasrkin84 původně napsal:

Here's the full list of colour schemes available in the game files (Dark Eldar and Sisters of Battle don't have the necessary files for this though):

Chaos Marines

• default_0 = Alpha Legion (SS default)
  
• default_1 = Word Bearers (DC default)
  
• default_2 = Iron Warriors
  
• default_3 = Night Lords
  
• default_4 = Emperor's Children
  
• default_5 = Black Legion
  
• default_6 = World Eaters
  
• default_7 = Death Guard

Eldar

• default_0 = Biel-Tan
  
• default_1 = Saim-Hann
  
• default_2 = Alaitoc
  
• default_3 = Iyanden
  
• default_4 = Menaan
  
• default_5 = Ulthwe (DC and SS default)
  
• default_6 = Ava-Nile
  
• default_7 = Il-Kaithe

Imperial Guard

• default_0 = 412th Cadian
  
• default_1 = 180th Cadian
  
• default_2 = 110th Cadian
  
• default_3 = 101st Vendoland
  
• default_4 = 85th Cadian, 252nd Kaurava Conservators (SS default)
  
• default_5 = 51st Coronan Grenadiers
  
• default_6 = 31st Harakoni Warhawks
  
• default_7 = 8th Cadian

Imperial Guard DC campaign default uses RSH texture files rather than any of the above RTX textures.


Necrons

• default_0 = Kronus (DC default), Kaurava III (SS default)
  
• default_1 = Jarrman Primus
  
• default_2 = Lorn V
  
• default_3 = Mefara Secundus
  
• default_4 = Miskal Prime
  
• default_5 = Rahe
  
• default_6 = Sevara
  
• default_7 = Verdus Prime

Orks

• default_0 = Blood Axes
  
• default_1 = Bad Moons
  
• default_2 = Goffs
  
• default_3 = Deathskulls
  
• default_4 = Evil Suns (DC and SS default)
  
• default_5 = Big Choppas
  
• default_6 = Gold Toofs
  
• default_7 = Snakebites

Space Marines

• default_0 = Blood Ravens (DC and SS default)
  
• default_1 = Ultramarines
  
• default_2 = Space Wolves
  
• default_3 = Imperial Fists
  
• default_4 = Dark Angels
  
• default_5 = Blood Angels
  
• default_6 = Raven Guard
  
• default_7 = White Scars

Tau Empire

• default_0 = T'au (DC default)
  
• default_1 = Dal'yth
  
• default_2 = Bork'an
  
• default_3 = D'yanoi
  
• default_4 = Fal'shia (SS default)
  
• default_5 = Sa'cea
  
• default_6 = Tau'n
  
• default_7 = Vior'la

How can I use this list? I try the Ultramarines it didn't work

[K84]

tezzeret663 původně napsal:

Kasrkin84 původně napsal:

*snip*

How can I use this list? I try the Ultramarines it didn't work

You need to edit a few text files, namely "data/scenarios/sp/races/space_marine_race.race" and each of the stronghold SCAR files in data/scenarios/sp, and change the reference for the Space Marines from "default_0" to "default_1".

You'll also need to create new RSH texture files using the Ultramarines badge, banner and colour scheme for the Force Commander (and the Land Speeder Tempest if you're doing this in Soulstorm).

[Royial]

tezzeret663 původně napsal:

Kasrkin84 původně napsal:

Here's the full list of colour schemes available in the game files (Dark Eldar and Sisters of Battle don't have the necessary files for this though):

Chaos Marines

• default_0 = Alpha Legion (SS default)
  
• default_1 = Word Bearers (DC default)
  
• default_2 = Iron Warriors
  
• default_3 = Night Lords
  
• default_4 = Emperor's Children
  
• default_5 = Black Legion
  
• default_6 = World Eaters
  
• default_7 = Death Guard

Eldar

• default_0 = Biel-Tan
  
• default_1 = Saim-Hann
  
• default_2 = Alaitoc
  
• default_3 = Iyanden
  
• default_4 = Menaan
  
• default_5 = Ulthwe (DC and SS default)
  
• default_6 = Ava-Nile
  
• default_7 = Il-Kaithe

Imperial Guard

• default_0 = 412th Cadian
  
• default_1 = 180th Cadian
  
• default_2 = 110th Cadian
  
• default_3 = 101st Vendoland
  
• default_4 = 85th Cadian, 252nd Kaurava Conservators (SS default)
  
• default_5 = 51st Coronan Grenadiers
  
• default_6 = 31st Harakoni Warhawks
  
• default_7 = 8th Cadian

Imperial Guard DC campaign default uses RSH texture files rather than any of the above RTX textures.


Necrons

• default_0 = Kronus (DC default), Kaurava III (SS default)
  
• default_1 = Jarrman Primus
  
• default_2 = Lorn V
  
• default_3 = Mefara Secundus
  
• default_4 = Miskal Prime
  
• default_5 = Rahe
  
• default_6 = Sevara
  
• default_7 = Verdus Prime

Orks

• default_0 = Blood Axes
  
• default_1 = Bad Moons
  
• default_2 = Goffs
  
• default_3 = Deathskulls
  
• default_4 = Evil Suns (DC and SS default)
  
• default_5 = Big Choppas
  
• default_6 = Gold Toofs
  
• default_7 = Snakebites

Space Marines

• default_0 = Blood Ravens (DC and SS default)
  
• default_1 = Ultramarines
  
• default_2 = Space Wolves
  
• default_3 = Imperial Fists
  
• default_4 = Dark Angels
  
• default_5 = Blood Angels
  
• default_6 = Raven Guard
  
• default_7 = White Scars

Tau Empire

• default_0 = T'au (DC default)
  
• default_1 = Dal'yth
  
• default_2 = Bork'an
  
• default_3 = D'yanoi
  
• default_4 = Fal'shia (SS default)
  
• default_5 = Sa'cea
  
• default_6 = Tau'n
  
• default_7 = Vior'la

How can I use this list? I try the Ultramarines it didn't work

The way it works is you need to replace the color scheme of the races in the actual campaign, so you don't choose the ultramarine color you choose blood ravens.

Then what you do is while following the directions you choose a color scheme to apply to all the textures, so you could then choose the ultramarine color scheme and apply it to the blood ravens and if you follow all the instructions to the letter it will show up as that color scheme.

In fact during that part you should be able to tell its the correct color scheme because it will tell you what the Primary, Secondary etc. colors are and since they're the only blue spacemarine color scheme in the game [unless you made a custom scheme to match] you should see it once you do it.

This whole process takes a bit of getting used to but it does work, I changed the scheme for every single race in SoulStorm to my own ones.

[werewolfdawzy]

Hi can i please get help i dont know what to do with bulk rename utility or how to use it

[Schweineschnute]

mark_dawe14 původně napsal:

Hi can i please get help i dont know what to do with bulk rename utility or how to use it

Yes, all the options can be overwhelming. But all you need is the suffix options. There is a preview once you enter anything here to see how the file name looks like afterwards. Just add the required number to the fielname suffix and it should look like "Unit_Name_default_x.tga" whereas x has to be the number corresponding to the default colour scheme of the faction.

[Error137]

I got a question, how do I change the colors in campaign but the colors from the mod? Let's say I got Titanium Wars installed right? Well that mod changes the colors of the Tau to the original from Dark Crusade, how do I change them to my liking? Is it even possible? I have been looking through the mods files but there are far less units in the race folder in the SGA archive, do I have to change those PLUS the ones from the original DoW folder? And where will I put them?

[Schweineschnute]

Error137 původně napsal:

I got a question, how do I change the colors in campaign but the colors from the mod? Let's say I got Titanium Wars installed right? Well that mod changes the colors of the Tau to the original from Dark Crusade, how do I change them to my liking? Is it even possible? I have been looking through the mods files but there are far less units in the race folder in the SGA archive, do I have to change those PLUS the ones from the original DoW folder? And where will I put them?

I have no idea about doing this to mods, I never tried. However I theorize it works just the same. You are correct, you have to edit both the original and mod files (mods/add-ons usually only bring new units and reuse old ones. See Dark Crusade for example only comes with the new add-on units and reuses the old ones from the original folder.)

I would then put all the edited files into the mod folder, so the game looks for modded files first. Alternatively, put them everywhere (original folder and mod folder). You can't really break anything, since if anything goes wrong just delete everything and you are back to square one :)

[Error137]

Hmm ok, thank you for the reply

[Error137]

I got another question, I opened the SGA file of the mod and when I try to extract the wtp's it says "Extraction of File "unknown" failed: path not found, do you have any idea why this happens?

[Gallows]

Sorry if you no longer care to help with this, I've some trouble with getting this to work.
I've followed the guide previously with much success, having it work for SM, Tau, Necrons and IG but now I've gotten around to playing the Orks, and no matter what I do the colourscheme just remains the same even though I followed the guide to the T.
There's also the minor problem that no matter what I do the banners and pauldrons always being blank; however I can quite easily ignore that, I was just curious if you knew why.