Using a replacement Mercedes skin to replace a different team

StrikeEagle · Sep 10, 2012

How difficult is it to change a Mercedes replacement livery to a Sauber replacement livery?

I've downloaded enough car skins to completely change my F1 2011 field. However, I want (for instance) Red Bull to be replaced by the FW18, but the FW18 is set to replace Williams (who are becoming Jordan).
Is this going to be difficult? This is my first attempt at F1 2011 modding, but far from my first modding. I'll also be looking to change some helmets, which is a similar process.

However, I will also be attempting to change the team names and driver names for the menus and in game data. Arrows, Jordan, Benetton, Camel Lotus, i'm so excited about the potential field, does this all sound attainable?

Matthew327 · Sep 10, 2012

I would advise you to contact people like ML2166, RianSpeed, Schifty031 and so on. They are very experienced with either database modding (which you will need to do to change the team names) or skin modding (which you will have to do to a small extend because simply renaming Merc textures to RB textures or something like that will cause some glitches).

And if they can't help you, they will surely be able to forward you to the right people.

StrikeEagle · Sep 10, 2012

Thanks, maybe. I think it might be useful info to have on the forum, as much as I'd like to hassle a bunch of people with PMs

Steven Poirier · Sep 10, 2012

StrikeEagle said:
How difficult is it to change a Mercedes replacement livery to a Sauber replacement livery?

I've downloaded enough car skins to completely change my F1 2011 field. However, I want (for instance) Red Bull to be replaced by the FW18, but the FW18 is set to replace Williams (who are becoming Jordan).
Is this going to be difficult? This is my first attempt at F1 2011 modding, but far from my first modding. I'll also be looking to change some helmets, which is a similar process.

However, I will also be attempting to change the team names and driver names for the menus and in game data. Arrows, Jordan, Benetton, Camel Lotus, i'm so excited about the potential field, does this all sound attainable?

took the downloaded car, rename it like all file with FW18 ( for williams) for the name that Redbull have in is folder, make it too all files... dont miss one

Do the same for every car you want to put it the game instead of if its use the right car shape

StrikeEagle · Sep 10, 2012

Thank you. I'm trying it now.

What is the "materials" xml file? Does it contain car performance data only? Or do I need to copy it for liveries anyway?

Steven Poirier · Sep 10, 2012

StrikeEagle said:
Thank you. I'm trying it now.

What is the "materials" xml file? Does it contain car performance data only? Or do I need to copy it for liveries anyway?

Just rename all file in cars folder, your FW18 should be named for now wi1, rename it to rb1 and all files include in those files. Dont do more

StrikeEagle · Sep 10, 2012

This is really easy

I'm going through the livery changes now, I'll get to the data later. Just trying to decide which of the Ferrari skins to use. Venom's F150 is winning!

Silver BENZ · Sep 11, 2012

Dont forget to rename and replace the "ïnterior" file too, there is the steering wheel of the car

StrikeEagle · Sep 11, 2012

Renaming the files is not working in the vast majority of cases.

The replacement skins don't fit and so the cars look really bad.

Is this because they were based on different car models? Are their any known limitations to this renaming process?

ML2166 · Sep 11, 2012

If you use a Ferrari model for example to replace Redbull, you have to use a Ferrari based template for that model even if it is now known as a Redbull within your game.

If you have done this and the texture doesn't line up correctly.....you have missed something.

If doing multiple model changes, make sure you keep a record of which model went to which team. If you don't you'll never know what original graphics template to use.

StrikeEagle · Sep 11, 2012

Thanks ML2166

I'm being quite anal about keeping backups

Some skins (like the Prost AP02) are for Toro Rosso, but it works on the Caterham/Team Lotus car as well.

I still don't know if certain teams' skins are always compatible with eachother (and if so, which teams are compatible with which others), or if certain skins come with a file that tells F1 2011 to use a certain car model.

I'm hoping to dodge this problem altogether by only replacing cars with skins designed for that team, but I can't find any classic skins that replace the Red Bull! So I'm going to have loads of classic teams and one soft drinks manufacturer...

ML2166 · Sep 11, 2012

As far as I am aware, none of the skins are compatible with other team models.

If you have a skin made for a Toro Rosso, it shouldn't fit a Caterham at all.

Unless the model for Caterham is a Toro Rosso model renamed to Catherham.

I've just put a Toro Rosso skin onto a Caterham to test....didn't line up at all....not even 10% close.

StrikeEagle · Sep 11, 2012

OK so this is a strange example then. I will try it (the Prost AP02) on the Toro Rosso it is supposed to replace and see if it works (it definitely worked on the Caterham, it was the only team change using the file-renaming method that actually worked lol).

For the Red Bull, I was going to simply try all my favourite unused skins (using the file-renaming method) and see if one worked, but I don't have much hope for that now. If you know any cool Red Bull replacement skins let me know, otherwise I'll use a HD 2012 skin and they can be the bad-guys in the field lol

StrikeEagle · Sep 11, 2012

StrikeEagle said:
I will try it (the Prost AP02) on the Toro Rosso it is supposed to replace and see if it works

Total fail.
I wonder if the files were renamed to Toro Rosso by the author in the hope they would work. There are some other files with this Prost skin - (materials.xml, cameras.xml, highLOD, lowLOD etc etc). If I just want the car skin, I only need the two textures in livery_main right?

Thanks again for the help, seriously.

ML2166 · Sep 12, 2012

If you just want the textures for the car, you'll need both the high and low livery textures from the main livery car folder for that specific model of car.

StrikeEagle · Sep 12, 2012

Excellent. I'm about halfway through my conversion now.

Do you know what the "materials.xml" file is? I've had a brief look in a text editor, it appears to contain graphics data (reflection levels etc.) but I don't know if that is all and if I can avoid getting an xml editor and someone knows what they are that would be great.