Basic Texturing for games - What are all the different files for?

[Gamer28]

Hi everyone,

I am currently working on trying to retexture the uniforms in this picture:

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/comp...-prefix=en

The game is called "Company of Heroes". Effectively I just want to change the soldiers top so that it is a green color - the same color as the pants and helmet. I am trying to make them look more like Vietnam era US soldiers.

I have changed the color but ingame the soldiers appear quite dark. It is obvious that I am doing something wrong.

The original file is in .rgt format but I change it to .dds to edit it and then convert if back. There is a whole list of files that seem to relate the the uniform:

tex_al_rifleman.dds
tex_al_rifleman_dirt.dds
tex_al_rifleman_glossiness.dds
tex_al_rifleman_normalize_sharpen_normalmap.dds
tex_al_rifleman_normalmap.dds
tex_al_rifleman_normalmap_no_sharpen.dds
tex_al_rifleman_normalmap_normalize_sharpen.dds
tex_al_rifleman_normalmap_sharpen.dds
tex_al_rifleman_occlusion.dds
tex_al_rifleman_specular.dds

These files all look similar - but some have the uniform in black, others in all white.

At the moment I have tried just editing the tex_al_rifleman.dds and then exporting that. But I thought that editing the one file may be the reason that the soldier appears kind of dark - or as if a shadow is cast upon him.

So I tried editing this file and then adding all the rest as a layer - still same problem. Also, is there any way to tell which file should be the bottom layer and which should be the middle and top?

I mean some of these files just show the soldiers uniform all colored white while others show the uniform all colored black...

Any advice?

[rich2005]

There are not many game players visiting this forum and when they do, ask similar questions to yourself.

My advice is go to one of the dedicated game forums and ask questions there.

When it comes to those files, anything 'normalmap' are effects files for DirectX, and these files tell the game how light falls on the model giving depth and shading. Looking at the other names specular provides a shiny effect while occlusion is shadow. Black and white in these files as far as I know are the extremes where there is an alpha channel.

I do not play these computer games (scrabble is about as far as I go) maybe somebody will come along with good advice.

[mholder]

I am guessing, but looks like textures for a 3d model, where tex_al_rifleman.dds is the main diffuse texture. I wouldn't mess with any of the others if you just want to change the color. If your attempts to adjust the texture are too dark or bright, then perhaps the textures need a gamma curve applied or removed.

As rich2005 suggests, you should find a forum that deals directly with modding this game for better advice.