Numbers, nameplates and other questions I have

[LOBBS]

I'm wanting to do some new uniforms for my long-term Chiefs franchise so I thought I'd go ahead and make a thread with some of the specific questions/issues I have when it comes to uniforms.

#1 I've got Nick's uniforms installed so the Chiefs unis already have the two-color character nameplate. I've drawn up some new nameplates with an athletic block font. I remember that Nick had to basically make a font that worked but I don't remember the guidelines as far as character spacing and letter size so that the characters don't get all jumbled up after importing. Since Nick has already converted this uniform I don't have to worry about using Stingray's editor to "open" up the file size from 1491 to 1492.


#2 I'd like to convert the numbers from a 4-bit to an 8-bit file. I believe this is done with Stingray's editor but don't remember what format that they have to be saved in when converted to .dds for importation into his editor.

#3 Along the same lines as #2. I'm wanting to use the larger files to do the hips and legs of the uniforms (256x256 versus the "stock" 128x128 and 512x128 vs the 256x64). I know that this can be done with Stingray's editor but again I can't remember the format that they have to be saved in.

#4 The current Chiefs uniforms have the numbers on the sleeves. I'd like to move them to the shoulder pads and use the larger size numbers. When creating a custom team with Madden this would be jersey 1. There is another jersey that has the numbers on the shoulders but the numbers are much smaller. Which file and location within the uniform .DAT do I need to change to move the numbers?

#5 Which palette changes the color of the accessories? The shade of red and gold that I'm using is darker than that currently being used.

I apologize if some of this is common knowledge. I was busy re-writing MadAmp's training camp when a lot of these discoveries were being made and as such was a bit late to the party when it came to uniform modding.

Thanks in advance,
Kyle "LOBBS" Laubscher

[BelieverInTeal]

#4 The current Chiefs uniforms have the numbers on the sleeves. I'd like to move them to the shoulder pads and use the larger size numbers. When creating a custom team with Madden this would be jersey 1. There is another jersey that has the numbers on the shoulders but the numbers are much smaller. Which file and location within the uniform .DAT do I need to change to move the numbers?

Ok, I’ll answer this one.

1. Open the DFR and extract dbtemplates file #12
2. Open the file in the db editor. It would help you a lot if you loaded the definitions if this is your first time.
3. Go to the UFID column. If you have MadUniform 09, you’ll notice it comes with a uniforms list that’s got all the UFID numbers and the Chiefs’ home uniform is #89 (look excel’s number count).
4. Go to #90 (the UFID is in the middle for some reason) and then edit the UNUM value. It says ‘1’, change it to ‘0’ or ‘2’. I’ll explain the difference below. Save.
5. If you want to go the extra mile and add numbers to the back of the helmets , that is accomplished through the UHNB column. There are six values you can enter: 0 (no number), 1 (centre left), 2 (centre right), 3 (centre), 4 (same as 3) and 5 (same as 3).
6. Use the DFR to input db templates #12 back into the db templates file. Save

In this pic, the UNUM is ‘0’ and the UHNB is ‘1’.


In this pic, the UNUM is ‘2’ and the UHNB is ‘2.’

[LOBBS]

Thanks BIT, the larger shoulder numbers in the first pic is what I was looking for. Like I said, I haven't messed around much with the uniform files just the changes necessary to install Nicks unis so this was a great help.

[NICK]

I'm wanting to do some new uniforms for my long-term Chiefs franchise so I thought I'd go ahead and make a thread with some of the specific questions/issues I have when it comes to uniforms.

#1 I've got Nick's uniforms installed so the Chiefs unis already have the two-color character nameplate. I've drawn up some new nameplates with an athletic block font. I remember that Nick had to basically make a font that worked but I don't remember the guidelines as far as character spacing and letter size so that the characters don't get all jumbled up after importing. Since Nick has already converted this uniform I don't have to worry about using Stingray's editor to "open" up the file size from 1491 to 1492.


#2 I'd like to convert the numbers from a 4-bit to an 8-bit file. I believe this is done with Stingray's editor but don't remember what format that they have to be saved in when converted to .dds for importation into his editor.

#3 Along the same lines as #2. I'm wanting to use the larger files to do the hips and legs of the uniforms (256x256 versus the "stock" 128x128 and 512x128 vs the 256x64). I know that this can be done with Stingray's editor but again I can't remember the format that they have to be saved in.

#4 The current Chiefs uniforms have the numbers on the sleeves. I'd like to move them to the shoulder pads and use the larger size numbers. When creating a custom team with Madden this would be jersey 1. There is another jersey that has the numbers on the shoulders but the numbers are much smaller. Which file and location within the uniform .DAT do I need to change to move the numbers?

#5 Which palette changes the color of the accessories? The shade of red and gold that I'm using is darker than that currently being used.

I apologize if some of this is common knowledge. I was busy re-writing MadAmp's training camp when a lot of these discoveries were being made and as such was a bit late to the party when it came to uniform modding.

Thanks in advance,
Kyle "LOBBS" Laubscher

#1 - What you have there looks good as far as spacing....make sure that when the nameplate is resized to 72 resolution that the letters do not touch the bottom or top border of the nameplate.

#2 - leave your numbers four bit, unless you have numbers with rounded edges, such as bears, bengals...etc that require more colors to adequately blend the graphic, otherwise...8 bit doesn't look any better than 4 bit.

#3 - you can import larger size graphics into the uni by using stingray68's dat editor. if you import a 256 color graphic into a 16 color graphic.....you will have to do it twice in order for it to take....don't know why. once you have gone from 16 color to 256 for any given uniform part, it cannot be reversed. the numbers will require you to import each number twice per the number of palettes in a uniform. 20 imports for number palette one, 20 imports for number palette two, 20 imports for number palette 3. you have to do this because when you go from 4 bit to 8 bit or 16 color to 256 color, it requires 2 imports per graphic. there are ten numbers, but three different palettes that control the numbers.....= 60 imports for the numbers. the bmps need to be saved in dds / 16 palette color or 256 palette color before you can import into dat editor extreme.

#5 - don't change a teams palettes....more trouble than it is worth...instead create a generic team....make the home and away uni the colors you want....save the team. go into a practice setting with your generic team and export the unis with muer....save the extracted unis someplace. get out of the game and open one of the unis with dat editor extreme and start importing your dds bitmaps....these extracted unis already have the palette colors correct.

[NICK]

also in the dat editor....look at the top border description bar prior to import....it will tell you the uniform part name, number of mip maps, and if it is 16 or 256 color.

[LOBBS]

Thanks for the insight Nick, it is greatly appreciated. I don't mind if it's a tedious process as I only plan at this time to do my Chiefs unis and use yours for the remainder of the league. My current franchise is 10-15 years in so I may update another team here and there down the road but in general NFL teams don't go through major revampings all that often.

[LOBBS]

Alright, now that I've made some improvements with the templates NICK released I should finally be able to get these uniforms done. I'll be honest, I've been working 60 hours a week and I want to get this right the first time. If something goes awry, it'll probably be next weekend before I get another shot at it.

I've got a question on importing the images themselves. Is it better to import them in .dds format with Stingray's editor or indexed .bmp with JD's editor or both?

I've made my generic team to solve the accessories and number location issues. As I said prior, I'm planning on using the larger files for the lower body images, the nameplate and now with NICK's new 8-bit numbers in his uniforms doing the conversion for that.

I've also obviously never built a .import package so I'm sure I'll have questions when that comes along also.

[NICK]

Alright, now that I've made some improvements with the templates NICK released I should finally be able to get these uniforms done. I'll be honest, I've been working 60 hours a week and I want to get this right the first time. If something goes awry, it'll probably be next weekend before I get another shot at it.

I've got a question on importing the images themselves. Is it better to import them in .dds format with Stingray's editor or indexed .bmp with JD's editor or both?

I've made my generic team to solve the accessories and number location issues. As I said prior, I'm planning on using the larger files for the lower body images, the nameplate and now with NICK's new 8-bit numbers in his uniforms doing the conversion for that.

I've also obviously never built a .import package so I'm sure I'll have questions when that comes along also.

I use Stingray's editor to import my primary uniform parts and the initial import of numbers and nameplates. I use JD's editor for final number import and nameplate because his is set up for the transparancy that is needed in those two uniform parts. The new Nvidia dds plugin is now set up to take index color bmps and convert them to dds thereby keeping all of your numbers under one palette, but it sets up the last color in the palette as transparant which does not work in madden for some reason. JD's editor then requires a single import of each different size bitmap of each number with the setting marked make first color in the palette transparant. The transparany of JD's editor only requires the first three imports of the 64 x 128 numbers for the three palettes to set the uniform number palettes. So after you have done all of your dds imports, save the uniform and then reopen with JD's editor. Select the two options that use the bitmaps palette and make the first color transparant. Only import the three " zero " 64 x 128 bitmaps into the three palette slots marked palette 7, 8, and 9. Once you have imported the three zero bitmaps into the three palette slots, save and close your uniform. Reopen the uniform and then uncheck the options for using the bitmaps palette and make the first color in the palette transparant. Then start importing a single import of each number at the three different sizes. So you would import 0 32 x 64 into palette 7 / 0 16 x 32 into palette 7 / 1 64 x 128 into palette 7 / 1 32 x 64 into palette 7 / 1 16 x 32 into palette 7 / 2 64 x 128 into palette 7 ...... and so forth. You do not need to reimport the zero at 64 x 128 bitmaps because you already did that to set the palette and transparancy on the initial import, but you do need to import the rest of the numbers for palette 7, but only one of each number for each size. I outline the steps in my 70 page number tutorial as to how to import into muer and if you need numbers to morph into different colors for uniforms that use different colored numbers for the helmet, shoulder, and regular jersey numbers. Confusing isn't it.....took me about 3 and a half years to figure this out. Definitely a hair pulling experience. Number tutorial link: http://www.mediafire.com/?sa3teskwga4yj6o

[LOBBS]

Thanks NICK. Now that I've got my good deed done for the day (drove an hour both ways to go get my wife a new set of 12 dining room chairs) I'm hoping to get back to the house and finish these unis up.

[LOBBS]

Alright, I got my first mod uniforms done. For whatever reason, when I tried to import into a Madden custom team I was locking up hard at the #0 first palette so I imported directly into NICK's uniforms instead. Somewhere or another I lost the Riddell logo on the front of the helmet.



I'm probably most pleased with the nameplates. I was really prepared for a fight after remembering all the trouble these caused over on FF.



Now it's time to knock out the rest of the combinations, Texmod some shoes and gloves and move the numbers up to the top of the shoulder pads from the sleeve.