Night Elves -> High Elves << Strange Problem (Walk with me and Take a Look)

[Ikkarus]

Hey guys!
I'm trying to bring back the old race swaps for high elves that existed long ago.
What I have is this MPQ (made by mip1771/ download below) to High Elf <-> Draenei to 3.3.3 (that is perfectly working) and what I'm trying to do is convert this MPQ for other races, starting with the night elves. The strange thing is that the structure of this MPQ is quite different from the others I've seen. I'm using the latest version of MyWarcraftStudio program and mpq editor. Since everything I know comes from the tutorials on this forum, I can't understand what I should change to edit this MPQ and create new MPQs for other races.
What I got working was the model (m2), the race name, the hair and the facial hair (dbc edits). The problem is with the skins. Even renaming it to the right paths (swapping from Draenei to NightElf) it still using the skins of the night elves (ignoring the high elf one).
And even stranger... the changes only appear in the character selection screen, because when I enter the game, they disappear and return to the original race.

So anyone knows what might be going on?

Also, if someone knows a better way to do this, feel free to tell me how, or make the swap for me (any of those would be very nice ).

Thanks for you time guys


Draenei to High Elf Patch ---->
2shared - download patch-h.MPQ

[Ikkarus]

A "hello" to the silent visitors on this thread :wave:

Answering to myself and hoping that someone shows up to give out some thoughts...
I did an analysis on the structure of the MPQ and discovered that the biggest difference in it from the others MPQ swaps is that it uses less database files than the others Race Swaps (normally would be 6, this one uses only 3). It seems to me that the way to swap is also better made. The MPQ has far fewer bugs in game than the other models swaps (at least those for patch 3.3.3) I think it's because this MPQ doesn't use much of the database, and does use more external files (like wav files for sounds instead of amending them in dbc sounds files).
My main problem right now is to understand how the file facialhairstyles.dbc works, because even with the tutorials I do not understand how to change it properly. When I tried to change it, I created some aberrations (quite funny actually, I'll post some screenshots later, maybe even a new race to be done lol).
Again, if someone who has knowledge in model editing can give me some tips, will be of great help.

Cya!

[mip1771]

Hey Ikkarus

Sorry I haven't responded to your messeages until now. I logged on mmowned for some time due to exams at school. But now the exams are over and I have vacation for the next 7 weeks. Anyway I am here and I will help you anyway I can.

I admire your courage. To change an entire race to another is quite an undertaking. I initally tried to change the night elves into high elves before I went on to draenei. I found that these two races are incompatable. The way the hair and facialhair work on night elves and on the high elves are completely different.
In my experience the easiest way to change the appereance of something is by placing the things you want under the old files treepaths. That whole .dbc edits are extremly complicated.

I recommend that you use the program Tallis. It is awsome for dbc editing. All the values are where they are suposed to be and the string values are converted to text so you can read them and when you click it it shows the actual value. Maybe your problem has been that your program messed up the file and therefore the edit wouldn't work. Maybe

I have also done some more work on my draenei to high elf patch. I have updated the Head files so your helmet always appear as it should be and I have given them a slightly more blue eye glow. I have also perfected my elekk to horse patch. It no longer uses the creaturedisplayfiles.dbc. This have made the patch timeless. It no longer requires to be updated every time a new patch comes.

I am sorry I haven't posted these downloads sooner, but I really stink at posting files. I hope you and others will enjoy them. I wish you good luck with your race swap. I will look into your thread from time to time if you need more advice or just have questions.

Taliis.zip Dbc editor

patch-h.MPQ New Draenei to High Elf patch

patch-t.MPQ Elekk to Horse

Best of luck

Mip1771 ;D