Editing Client UI

[osiy1996]

So i was trying to edit game ui by messing with ui_1024x768.ini and i succeeded making changes.
The problem is, when i browse .dat texture file with Archlord Data Editor, there are 2 files with same name(not all of them) but different extensions, in my example "lg_2d_back_1024.dds" and "lg_2d_back_1024.png". In ini file, i set the target file as .png format but when i get in game it's been set as .dds file. Why is the reason for this ?
I'll add few ss so you can see it better.

[wsv]

dds was used in older version of game if I remember well

in later ver delevelopers switched it to pngs, but still old files left

remember that those graphic are set for 3 kind of resolutions
if you changedfor 1024x it won't work for 1280x and 1600x, so game has to be set to 1024 in game options too to see changes

[osiy1996]

I see the changes but it's .dds file even though i set it as .png file. Is there anyway to compress .dds/.png files as .dat files so i can switch their extensions ? Thanks for helping


P.S. Also when i use Archlord_DatTool.exe for decompressing .dat file, it does decompress files with correct names but they do not work. When i open them with image viewer it says image is broken and when i open them with notepad i see bunch of chineese characters. When i use Archlord Data Editor for decompressing and Archlord_DatTool.exe for compressing size goes from 60~ mb to 1.5gb ... Also reference.dat seems pretty weird too.

[wsv]

this tool won't let you compress for new client, it was made for ep1 I think, and mess with directories, use decryptini with oryginal and your modified reference.ini and compare files, thent you will notice what's wrong

[osiy1996]

I was trying to use it for celestia files actually. But it still doesn't work.. I tried changing justac ini with .dds but it's still using .png version.. I think it doesn't check for the extension. What i was trying to do was change the old charinfo_base(main ui at the bottom which includes skill bars and hp/mp pot bars) with new one. So either i need be able to make client pick the .png instead of .dds or i have to decompress/edit/compress .dat file. Not sure if it's possible..

[wsv]

for dds you need photoshop plugin, also I think there should be plugin for irfanview too

[osiy1996]

Also gimp works fine for that but my problem is not converting png to dds it's compressing them back as .dat file. justac owners know how to do it but they probably wouldn't tell or share the software.

[wsv]

On justac or chinese server patcher transfer files to dat. If you don't have it, you have to write own inserter similar to Ace's export tool. It's only way.

[osiy1996]

I have no idea how to make a tool like that and i don't think Ace will help since he's almost never online

[wsv]

it's also way to bypass it not using .dat, check how I made AH reneval and you will find out method

[osiy1996]

Wow. That's amazing! Thanks a lot The question is, it's possible to change old ui with the new one. Why other private servers not doing this ?

[wsv]

because of a lot of work, it's not only simple image replacement
all gfx has to be also set correct in ini file
and in old files you have probably lower resolution settings only

[osiy1996]

Not really tho. there are 3 different ui_charinfo titles. normal one 1280 one and 1600 one. Also new ini uses a single file where old ini uses 3 different files with different resolutions. So to change 1 image, you have to change 9 different parametres at most since some of them are the same at both clients( pos/size/texture x 3different resolutions). And since there are about 1000+ texture files it might be a tiring job to do. But i'll see how far i can go

[Adive]

Originally Posted by osiy1996

Wow. That's amazing! Thanks a lot The question is, it's possible to change old ui with the new one. Why other private servers not doing this ?

Hey man,
Would you be able to do a tutorial on this? or PM me. Hate the cut off ui on private servers.

[osiy1996]

I don't know enough to make a tutorial but sure i'll pm you and tell you as much i know