How to Model Edit for Newcomers!

[Marth]

Disclaimer: You may delete this thread if you think it is a copy. The point of this is just simplicity and help.

Welcome fellow WoW player, here's a simple guide to model editing - changing your weapon or shield to *look* like something else. Only you can see the change, but it's still fun anyway to make your weapon look like an awesome epic.

Step 1: Download MyWarcraft Studio (two links below).
http://www.cnitblog.com/Files/linghuye/MyWarCraftStudio_0.10.6337.rar
http://linghuye.googlepages.com/MyWarCraftStudio_0.10.6337.rar

Step 2: Open and Run MyWarcraft Studio.

Things to know: All the models in the game are made up of two parts. An M2 file and a BLP file. The M2 is like the basic model of it, and the BLP is the texture or skin that gives the object it's color. WoW has these files stored in MPQs. There are three of them currently in your World of Warcraft\Data folder: common, patch, and expansion. The way model editing works is by adding another MPQ by the name patch-(3-9 or A-Z). This MPQ needs to contain the M2 and BLP files of the armor you want them to look like, but with the names of the armor that you want to replace them with. This tricks WoW into thinking there is another patch, so that it will use these files rather than the files in the old MPQs for the stuff you changed.

Step 3: Find the M2 and BLP of the weapon/shield that you want to change to something else.

Click on File in the top left, and then Open MPQ Archive. Navigate to your WoW's data folder if it didn't already bring you there. Hmm, now which MPQ is your weapon/shield in? Well, the expansion MPQ doesn't have any weapon/shield files in it, so it's out. Let's try common first. A bunch of folders will appear on the left, but the only one that holds weapons and shields is the Item\ObjectComponents folder. Look through the Weapon or Shield folder until you can recognize what M2 and BLP files correspond to the item you want to change. This may be difficult as some M2's don't show up much on the preview picture on the right. They are organized somewhat by what type of weapon or shield it is. The patch MPQ also has an Item\ObjectComponents folder with two weapon folders and a shield folder.

If you have trouble finding it, WoW Model Viewer may help (http://www.wowmodelviewer.org/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=35&func=fileinfo&id=24).

Once you have located the M2 and BLP of the item you wish to change, continue to step 4.

Step 4: Create a Text Document and Copy the Treepath.

Now, create a simple text document on your desktop. Click on the M2 file of the item you want to change and then right click on it. Choose Copy Treepath. Now paste that text into the document on your desktop. Do the same for the BLP (click on it, right click it, copy treepath, paste into document).

Step 5: Find M2 and BLP of the weapon/shield that you want it to look like.

The item you want it to look like may be in the other MPQ, that isn't a problem. Locate its M2 and BLP.

Step 6: Extract the M2 and BLP from the MPQ.

Instead of copying down their treepaths like in step 4, we are going to get the M2 and BLP files. Click on the M2 and then right click and choose Extract File To.... This will default to your WoW's data folder, so let's just save them here next to the MPQs. Do the same for the BLP file (click on it, right click, extract file to..., save to data folder).

Step 7: Create an MPQ and put the files in it with the other M2/BLP's treepath name.

To do this, click on Pack and then Create MPQ Archive at the top of MyWarcraft Studio. It should automatically bring you to the data folder again. Name the MPQ you are about to create patch-(3-9 or A-Z). Now to put the files in it, click Pack and then Add file to archive.... Hit the "..." to the right of the text box and go to the data folder and double click on the M2 file. It will appear in the text box, but don't hit the OK button yet. We need to rename it to the name of the file you want to change. Go back to your text document and copy the full treepath for the M2 file. Paste that into the the text box, and then hit OK. Do the same thing for the BLP file (pack, add file to archive, hit "...", copy BLP's treepath, paste into textbox, hit OK).

You should have a sort of mini MPQ now, with the folder Item, containing ObjectComponents, containing the Weapon/Shield folder, with the file that you want your weapon/shield to look like but with the name of the file you want to change.

That's all you needed to do to change those models. It can be pretty confusing at first, but after doing this you'll have the hang of it for sure. Just hit Pack and then Save and Close Archive and start up WoW again.
(You do not need the M2 and BLP files in your data folder, just the MPQ you created).

Thanks for taking the time to read my guide, I hope it will be useful to any and all who wish to change the looks of their weapons and shields in WoW!

[Nero]

Very nice guide, but dont you need a model edit fix?

[Marth]

Very nice guide, but dont you need a model edit fix?

What do ya mean by model edit fix? Did I leave somethin' out?

[Croak]

So you're making a ME guide and you don't know what a MEF is. There is also a million model changing guides :-/

[Marth]

There are a million model change guides. The reason I wrote this one is because it's tailored toward newcomers, people who don't understand all the lingo or know how. You can read this and not have to know a thing; I explained it all. It's what I use, and it works to change my weapons/shields. I don't know what a model edit fix is though, because I've never run into any problem using what I've been doing.

[Nero]

That's all you needed to do to change those models. It can be pretty confusing at first, but after doing this you'll have the hang of it for sure. Just hit Pack and then Save and Close Archive and start up WoW again.
(You do not need the M2 and BLP files in your data folder, just the MPQ you created).

dont you need a model edit fix? like before...
(I havent model edited since 2.2.x, so things might have changed)

[stfu]

I got a litle problem here that could us esome help, i open MWS go to File>Open and select an mpq file i open it but nothing happens. i get the directory path of the filre on MWS showing but nothing else shows. Could use oms ehlp here plx

[merfed]

AZO: how do you expect him to tag a guide? There's no point if it's in the guide forum.

[Pullefjun]

AZO: how do you expect him to tag a guide? There's no point if it's in the guide forum.

Guide was in the main section to begin with so AZO had a point.

[merfed]

A little too into the whole tagging thing aren't we? Let the moderators moderate.

[Marth]

I'm just here to help other people. This is my first contribution and it refects my desire to help newcomers in a field that isn't easy to figure out. I would have wanted this guide when I started model editing, that is why I posted this.

-> As for your problem "stfu", you need to make sure the View WorkingTree button is checked after you open the patch or common MPQ. It is under View in the toolbar, next to File.

WASH YOUR SHORTS LIKE A BIG BOY GODDAMNIT! AND TAG YOUR POSTS!

Wow, thanks for the help ... in huge, bold, capital, underlined, red letters with exclaimation points.

I write a guide to help newcomers only to be flamed by others? Sigh, I had faith in this site as a foundation of progress and help. Now, every post I see everyone talking about how they don't like it when someone asks for +Rep and how people hate "leechers" and how everyone uses that to attack them, even if they are posting for other people's help. This site is going to become a joke if all the people on it care about is +Rep. Hell, even YTMND has some jokes about MMOwned on it because of their hate for "leechers". Open your eyes please, this site should still be a place for mutual help and info on MMOs. This may be my first and last post here seeing what the community has turned into: selfish and power hungry.

Please, change my mind.

[Croak]

A model edit fix is needed for any custom MPQ you plan on loading into your game, correct me if I am wrong.

You also need to understand that the reason exploits and other modifications get fixed so quick in WoW is because "leechers" leak things and post stuff all over the web. There's no form of selfishness involved, you would understand if you put really hard work into something just to have some leechers spread it and ruin it for everyone.

We do appreciate your contribution though, some people just have an addiction to tagging posts :-p

[Pullefjun]

A model edit fix is needed for some of the custom MPQ you plan on loading into your game, correct me if I am wrong.

Fixed /filler /endfiller

[mirix]

I can't get my hands on the new model edit fix for 2.3 being a "leecher" and all. This was the first guide I tried out to try and get my own model edits going. Worked perfectly the first time. Thanks for the help Marth.

[mirix]

Seems like this only works for weapons and shields though. I tried doing this with character models but ended up getting an error, the same error it would seem that is fixed by 2.3's model edit fix. It sucks to be a leecher.