Simple Question(should be)

[Kessy]

K i just started trying to mod a lil by changing the Demon Harness/Rap Harness to match the THF AF.
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6095/hmmbf4.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hmmbf4.jpg)

All I did was just pop up model viewer and did the "DAT to MQO" for the harness. Opened up the .bmp, did some simple recoloring and thats it. Everything is going well, but for some reason I can't import it. On the model viewer I clicked on File>Convert MQO to DAT and opened the .mcd. Afterwards the viewer said "Conversion Successful" yet I don't my edited .dat in effect at all. I've tried numerous things, but none of them worked and I ended up with the same result.
I followed the GrumpyRarab tutorial for exporting + importing many many times to figure out what I did wrong, but to no avail. Anyone know what the problem is? I'm pretty sure its something simple I'm doing wrong that I'm too sleepy and drowsy to realize.

[Kuro]

I've had this problem a lot.

What I do is export the dat. then leave the modelviewer open untill I'm finished, then import the same thing.

If you have closed it, i suggest exporting it again as like ... xxx, then change the bmp file to xxx and replace it and reimport.

If you used that program that you need to use, i can't remember the name but you have to loasd your bmp and it sorts out transparency. do that after you change the bmp name. then re import.

[Kessy]

I've had this problem a lot.

What I do is export the dat. then leave the modelviewer open untill I'm finished, then import the same thing.

If you have closed it, i suggest exporting it again as like ... xxx, then change the bmp file to xxx and replace it and reimport.

If you used that program that you need to use, i can't remember the name but you have to loasd your bmp and it sorts out transparency. do that after you change the bmp name. then re import.

Ah thank you for the reply Kuro. Unfortunately I've tried that last night and I tried it again, but the result was the same ._.
Although you mentioned " If you used that program that you need to use i can't remember the name but you have to loasd your bmp and it sorts out transparency. do that after you change the bmp name. then re import." If I can find out what program you're talking about. This might be able to work.

[Akashimo]

I believe you need Graphics Convertor 3 thingy mentioned in the other dat threads. To convert the bmp to a dds format then it'll work. And no, changing bmp to dds by rename doesn't work.

[Kessy]

I actually have a converter called "ImageConverter Plus" which changes .bmp to .dds. When exporting at first you get 4 files. The .bmp, .dds, .mcd, and the .mqo .

Do you know if once converted I need to have a copy of the .bmp as well and get rid of the .dds that was originally extracted?
(I'll play around with it and see what happens)

-10 minutes later-

Turns out my converter didn't work.
Thanks for the help Akashimo n' Kuro.

For those who had the same problem and dont have the converting program. You can find it on the sticky "Amadun's Tutorials (updated with .Dat Editing for Newbies)"

[Nomido]

Hallihallo Kessy

You need to do the following steps:

1. Get the Graphic Converter 3 for example here :http://www.ffximc.com/list.php?c=tools
2. Open the GC3 and open die DDS file.
3. Choose save as Alpha Channel
4. Save it as BMPname_apha.bmp
5. Open your edited BMP in GC3
6. Choose Format -> S3TC Format (any of the 2 Encode engines) ->DTX3
7. Choose Open as Alpha Channel
8. Open the BMP you saves as BMPname_apha.bmp
9. Save as .dds file and overwrite the dds file in there (backup the original prior)
10. Convert MPQ to DAT in the Modelviewer to the DAT you extracted it from(the DAT has to be on the model else id dosen't work)

Nice Day
Nomido

PS.: The BMP that the Modelviewer produces is of no concern to the Modelviewer when importing the MPQ back. Only the dds are important.

[Kuro]

Yeah, Like I was heh, trying to say, and failing (sorry I didn;t have time to look it up, first few days of uni) You really have to use that program sometimes.

FFXI .DAT's can be tricky little buggers sometimes, just got to keep at it, and pray your graphics don't degrade while pissing about in GC3