First, let's make sure you have the proper programs needed to edit the Conquer Online client interface. You'll need to be able to see DDS thumbnails & edit DDS files. Some of the files are compressed into WDF files, so you'll need a WDF extractor as well. Here are a few download links you might find helpful:




Update: SageThumbs will work on the new Windows 8, but make sure that you only select .dds when it asks you want extensions to take over. If you install it with all of the extensions enabled, you'll find that the Windows 8 start menu will stop showing live tiles.



Instructions Section:
So, you have everything you need now to edit DDS files. Let's make a simple edit. First, extract your dds files from data.wdf (don't extract them into the client). I recommend you extract them to a separate folder. Then, when you're done with the edit, you can just plant it in the client. For this example, I found a tree in Twin City near 486, 359.

Just for fun, let's make it look like a Minecraft tree. First, we'll need to find the tree. It's "np11.dds" in the "data\map\MapObj\newplain\plain" directory. Double click it and make sure it opens with Paint.NET. Here's what you should see:

Create a new layer and set the opacity of the original layer to 50%. You can edit a layer's properties by double clicking on them. Make sure you have the new layer selected. Draw a new tree or copy and paste one as a new layer. Be sure that the base of the tree lines up with your new one so the tile works properly and so you can't walk through the tree and sit in it. After you're done making your edits, hide the original layer by clicking the check box next to it and save the tree. This will flatten the image so back up your original!

Now, copy the new tree's dds (which should still be called "np11.dss"). Go to "data\map\mapobj\newplain" in the client and create a new folder called "plain". Paste the new dds into it and you're done! The new dds will override the one in the WDF file. Restart your client if it's already open and test it out!


That's how you edit the client's DDS Files.
Good luck and have fun!
Sincerely,
Spirited Fang
PS: My minecraft tree's perspective and scale is way off.
If you edit a scene file like I just did, make sure it matches up with its surroundings!