How to Decompile/Edit/Recompile Texture Files?

[creaseycj]

Hello everyone!!! First and foremost, I apologize if this is the wrong section of the forum to post this thread... I have a few questions regarding the method(s) to edit/replace the default texture files located in Thief: Deadly Shadows' Content folder.

After examining and researching how to edit said textures I've figured out a few things... It seems all the texture files are located in the "Content/T3/Maps" folder compiled into .IBT and .GMP files for each map and the Kernel/MainMenu files.

My first question is how would I go about decompiling and then recompiling the .IBT and .GMP files after I have edited or replacing the original textures? If there is no method to decompile/recompile the .IBT and .GMP files to access the original textures then is there away to edit the textures that come with Thief 3 Editor, copy them to the "Content\T3\PCTextures\DynamicallyLoaded" folder and then redirect where the textures are loaded from to my new textures? With that question is this one, where is/are the file(s) that locate and load the textures into the game?

I've noticed with John P's Texture Pack with the Sneaky Upgrade that the textures are located in the "C:\ProgramData\Thief 3 Sneaky Upgrade\Installed Mods\Collective Texture Pack\Textures\Content\T3\PCTextures\DynamicallyLoaded" folder. Editing and replacing these files would easy enough but I'm looking to edit textures that haven't been touched.

I'm aware of the DXTool and how to use it but this would be extremely tedious as I would have to edit each file for each map over and over again. This is the only method I have been able to figure out...

Any and all responses are greatly appreciated and I hope that this thread makes sense. Thank you!!!

[snobel]

With the Sneaky Upgrade you can replace textures (and other resources) in the game install as well as in the mod folders (like John P). But it's disabled by default, because some people may have some garbage in their game install, which would then suddenly be picked up and used in-game. So make sure you have a clean install. Then edit SneakyOptions.ini manually and change a setting, like this:

[Testing]
AllowGameInstOverrides=True

With that setting, textures in Content\T3\PCTextures\DynamicallyLoaded within the game install will be used instead of the textures contained in the block files. You can of course get the textures themselves, in non-block format, from the editor pack and edit them as you please.

Note that if you want to replace a lot of textures, then the above approach will cause loading times to increase noticeably, because many external texture files will have to be loaded in addition to the original block files.

[creaseycj]

With the Sneaky Upgrade you can replace textures (and other resources) in the game install as well as in the mod folders (like John P). But it's disabled by default, because some people may have some garbage in their game install, which would then suddenly be picked up and used in-game. So make sure you have a clean install. Then edit SneakyOptions.ini manually and change a setting, like this:

[Testing]
AllowGameInstOverrides=True

With that setting, textures in Content\T3\PCTextures\DynamicallyLoaded within the game install will be used instead of the textures contained in the block files. You can of course get the textures themselves, in non-block format, from the editor pack and edit them as you please.

Note that if you want to replace a lot of textures, then the above approach will cause loading times to increase noticeably, because many external texture files will have to be loaded in addition to the original block files.

I think I got most of what you said but I want to clarify a little.

Perform actions in this order?:

1.Do a clean install of T: DS and then S.U. (with John P's Texture Pack)
2.Then edit SneakyOptions.ini text line "AllowGameInstOverrides=false" to "true"
3.Then edit desired textures that come with T3ED and simply place them, without renaming them, in the default "DynamicallyLoaded" folder for T: DS? Or would I place them in the default "DynamicallyLoaded" folder of S.U. Texture pack or in "PCTextures" folder in default install or S.U. install as they are located in the editor?

I assume I should not rename the files from the editor pack but rather place them directly (after editing) in which of the "DynamicallyLoaded" folders? I also found that there is a text file named "Sneaky" in the "Thief 3 Sneaky Upgrade" folder that contains strings of text containing the .DDS files located in the "Sneaky Upgrade" install Texture Pack. Would I need to edit this file for any reason?

Also, is there a way to add bump/normal textures to already existing diffuse textures that don't have one?

I hope I'm not being too difficult. :P

[snobel]

1.Do a clean install of T: DS and then S.U. (with John P's Texture Pack)

Yes. You don't really need John P, but installing the Garrett animations mod may be a good idea. See below.

2.Then edit SneakyOptions.ini text line "AllowGameInstOverrides=false" to "true"

Yes, but see below.

3.Then edit desired textures that come with T3ED and simply place them, without renaming them, in the default "DynamicallyLoaded" folder for T: DS?

Yes, in PCTextures. But see below.

Or would I place them in the default "DynamicallyLoaded" folder of S.U. Texture pack

You could do that too. But I'd recommend instead creating a PCTextures\DynamicallyLoaded folder in the Garrett animations mod and placing them there. (If you don't like the animations, rename the exisiting Skeletal* folders.) That way you can keep your customizations mostly separate. If you do it this way, you don't have to change the AllowGameInstOverrides setting.

or in "PCTextures" folder in default install or S.U. install as they are located in the editor?

No, the paths are different for an editor install. They have to be in the DynamicallyLoaded subfolder.

I assume I should not rename the files from the editor pack

Correct.

I also found that there is a text file named "Sneaky" in the "Thief 3 Sneaky Upgrade" folder that contains strings of text containing the .DDS files located in the "Sneaky Upgrade" install Texture Pack. Would I need to edit this file for any reason?

This must be Sneaky.log - most lines starting with [Inf]? No need to edit, but as it lists the resources that are overridden by external files you can check the contents to verify that your replacement textures are actually found.

Also, is there a way to add bump/normal textures to already existing diffuse textures that don't have one?

I don't know - but it should be easy to test. If you know of such a case, try cloning the diffuse texture as a normal map following the naming convention and check in the log if it's loaded.

I hope I'm not being too difficult. :P

Not really, no.

[creaseycj]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, been busy. D: Anyway, I did as instructed and it didn't seem to work.

I created said folders in the animations folder and checked the log file but nothing seemed to take. I did try editing files already in the textures pack folder and that worked, but placing edited textures of my own that weren't originally in there didn't work either. I also edited the .ini but that didn't work either.

My main goal was to add normal maps to textures that didn't have one, maybe even displacement and specular maps if the normal maps were added and worked if I was feeling ambitious enough. ;P It's not that big of a deal though, the texture pack is well created as is and only a few textures I wanted to add weren't included but it's negligible in the end.

If you or anyone else knows of a way to add/load additional maps into the game please do let me know.

P.S. Are the textures assigned to model files or are they just simply textures? If there assigned to models, is there a way to add additional maps to them that way, say in the editor? I guess then it would be a matter of being able to load new models which is a whole new topic in of itself... Much thanks for the help!!!

[snobel]

I created said folders in the animations folder and checked the log file but nothing seemed to take.

Did you remember to enable the animations mod, and did you load a map where you know the textures in question are used? (Because if they're not used, then they're not loaded, and if they're not loaded then they won't appear in the log.) If you did both, and it still doesn't work, then it's a bug and I'd like to know which textures you tried.

My main goal was to add normal maps to textures that didn't have one

Do you have an example (name) of such a texture?

P.S. Are the textures assigned to model files or are they just simply textures? If there assigned to models, is there a way to add additional maps to them that way, say in the editor?

This is beyond my knowledge, as I'm not a mapper. But there's lots of info here on TTLG if you search around a bit.

[creaseycj]

I've been testing with the intro mission with the "genwindow" texture. My normal map isn't being loaded, I've tried multiple variations of naming the map but nothing... :/ I've made sure the animations option is on as well as everything else you suggested but no luck.

I wanted to add normal maps to all the windows and the plant textures as well as some floor, ceiling and walls that don't have one.

[snobel]

I tried it myself. Replacements for existing textures are found as expected, with log entries such as this:

[Inf] IBT override: "C:\ProgramData\Thief 3 Sneaky Upgrade\Installed Mods\Garrett Animation Tweaks\Content\T3\PCTextures\DynamicallyLoaded\genwindow.dds" (Texture)

But a texture there named GENwindow_N.dds is not used - so it looks like there's no way to achieve what you want apart from using T3Ed. (Also tried GENwindowint_D.dds/GENwindowint_N.dds.)