PC2 pCARS 2 Modding: multiple custom liveries discussions

[Reiche]

Is it possible or will it be possible to export the car files so we can add more than one custom livery to a car model and how would this show given the way the car has the icon picture for the custom skin?

I can't say I like the new livery selector PC1s was better.

There is a Icon pic for every skin/paint option in the rcf. So, if you create a new skin/paint, you would need to create a new icon pic and stuff that in a "vehicleimages\xxxxxx" folder for the car.

The process for unpacking, harvesting files from game memory, then batch renaming remains the same as was done in pCars. Just grab the new unpacking script from Aluigi.

I'm still working on solving how to add a new car. It's highly likely that more than one livery can be added. I just don't want to get sidetracked from my current task at this time.

I tried the new quickbms and it didn't work, didn't extract anything.
Did it work for you?

You need to download the new script and new version of quickBMS. Works perfectly on my end

I did....
Guess I'll give it another go.

Where can I get the livery text files from so I can get rid of the blank yiro tyres off the custom cars. (Really winds me up).

@Gambit74
As lmm23 said, quickbms V0.8.1 with script V0.2.5.
Should the script version not be 0.2.5 at Aluigi's site, clear the browser cache or visit the site with a different browser.

Additional tyre textures can be found in many of the "Livery" bff files.

Unless QBMS has been updated in the past couple of days I should have the latest version.
Tyre textures aren't a problem it's the livery and livery_hr text files I'll need to find to write them to the car.
Anyway, thank you both for your help.

The RCF files are found in both the vehiclepersistant bff and in the car bff

Input archive: Double click the .BFF file you want to extract
Script: double click nfsshift.bms
Output folder: create a new folder on the desktop or somewhere, double click to open it and click save

Is there a way to extract the cars so I can add proper tyres to my custom car skins? I think it was done with custom grid tool in PCars1. PCars2 has added custom grid to the game, which is great but you can't set how many of each car is in the race which is a pity.

Anyway, I just want to get rid of the "Yiro tyres" So what I need is the extracted Livery text files. I tried extracting and renaming but I presume there is more to it, as it didn't work.

If I'm reading what you wrote correctly, you unpacked/renamed a livery BFF?
If so, try using one of the "kart" bff's as a dummy "livery" bff for the car you're working on.




Instructions are here (use Google translate, unless you can read Chinese).... https://tieba.baidu.com/p/4148364163?red_tag=2905654740

No I mean the HR and none HR text files that tell the game where to find the .bff files. (open and edit in notepad files, 2 per car).

Cheat engine to find the name of the files?!
Too much complex for me. Thanks anyways

No no no, I just want to unpack tracks from project cars 2 to downsize textures so it runs smoothly in my 2gb card. Their medium texture setting is unacceptable because all it does is to slash the already poor 1024 car liveries. I tried to repack the bff file, and the quickbms tool says it imported ok but then it wont load the track.

All I know is that a couple of days ago Crowtrobot posted a screenshot of Custom Grid Tool and "Soon".
In the first game Custom Grid Tool came before the Custom Livery Tool. I'm optimistic we'll see both these fantastic tools once again. No idea how soon but I'd bet it'll be as soon as they're done.

Is there a way to change default skins and replace them with custom ones? So far editing the .rcf files has only gotten me as far as being able to remove fake liveries. While I'm quite glad to have the V12 LMR and the CLK-GTR down to only their 2 real life skins I would like to swap out several fake types on other cars, particularly the Porsche GT3R. But Simply changing/adding lines in the .rcf just gives me a car that's all red when viewed.

Hi all Any chance to get Custom livery tool for Project Cars 2??
Some information about work in process?

Thank

I understand that we can not add vehicles. But would not he have a solution for skins? Whenever I want to add things, I have a red car. Yet I do everything correctly via RCF files. I do not understand or originate this concern. The situation is ridiculous, because in competitions like ESL, we can not have a personal skin.

I would love to provide a solution for everyone. I am responsible for Team Virtualdrivers by TX3, and the lack of visibility of our sponsors, become problematic in the competitions.


Please excuse me for my weak English.

TX3 Slawek

We can add vehicles, just not to the full ability we were able to in the first game. It might be possible in the future though as I am waiting for a reply from SMS.

You're editing the RCF, so which BFF files are you running unpacked? Post your RCF entries and we'll see if theyre correct.

Project Cars 2 Vehicle Common Textures from patch 1.3.0:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/ab1qcjui5ap82wx/pCARS2 Common Textures from v1-3-0.7z

Hi guys, the dds file. mostly has the inappropriate names or are not their own, maybe we want to say something more lambomantisman23 (that still no progress to mod).
We only want help to clone cars of the same game. When we put new paints we also want to change the paints of the rims and the designs of the windows.

Learn how to do it yourself instead of whining and bitching in my PMs.

I offer an apology, it was not my intention to be understood that way.
I value the work he does in the mod and I thank him for his support to those who want to do their own work in mod.
Change of page and continue forward in the work.

Your new entries are duplicating the Livery #99 Custom livery using the same file replacements. For your Livery #98 (TX3), you need to use a new filename for the replacement. Instead of "ben_con_gt3_livery.dds", make a file named "ben_con_gt3_livery_TX3.dds", using that file for the replacement. Same edits in both RCF files.

For the GUI problem, you need to create a new texture (screen shot) of the car using that skin. The file would be named "bentley_continental_gt3_livery_98.dds". The file would be DXT5 and sized 512 wide X 128 high. You would place this file into a folder named "Gui\vehicleimages\vehicleimages_bentley_continental_gt3\"

Thanks a lot for your help. I have to make a mistake somewhere ...
Despite that, the car stays red

Sorry to bother you with the subject. There is really no way to add skins to the game ?

If you have only one skin, every car has the custom livery #99, which you replace with your skin.

If you need to add more entries for skins, you need to use both the "Custom Grid Tool 2" by Crowtrobot AND have the exterior BFF for the car running unpacked (loose). Then, you can add more livery entries into the rcf files, add in textures and everything works.

Can we unpack the .bff files by quickbms with proper file's names?
Always thank you master!

Hello, thank you for your help.

Would it be possible to specify what you understand by exterior BFF, or just show an example.

I can not understand. Sorry

The exterior BFF is the one that does't say "_cockpit" or "_Livery".
So, for Acura NSX, the exterior BFF is "Acura_NSX_2017.bff"

The Bootfiles doesn't allow me to add custom tires to custom skins does it?

If you mean custom tire textures, then no. Vehiclespersistent.bff would need to be run unpacked. Also, the exterior bff for each car you would want custom tire textures would need to be run unpacked, due to redundant RCF files being packed into the bff.

Hello,

First step works, but my skin is still not taken into account. Yet I have good follow your advice, watch your MODS, nothing to do ... The car remains red. You could not give us an example? Just one to understand ... Thanks

View attachment 230120 View attachment 230121

If I remember correctly the red was related to the material of the parts. What do you think about creating a specific thread for the multiple custom liveries thingy? I could go through this thread and quote related posts as this thread is yet only 10 pages. (I'm very interested in that topic as well)

Regards,
Reiche

Yes why not.
I would love to propose championship with a complete personalisatoin for each player.

 

[JDougNY]

Oh, I just realized that this is a new thread that splintered off of the PC2 modding thread. I could offer to include the vehiclespersistent.bff unpacked/unlocked into my "Bootfiles" package. That would leave a user to unpack the the exterior BFF, rename files, put those renamed files into correct folders and apply a dummy BFF file. If they do things correctly, the particular car would be free to changes to RCF's....adding entries, removing entries, swapping wheel colors, change tyre/textures....whatever they want to do.

Dummy BFF file for the exterior...use "Kart_01.bff" and rename. Unless you are working on Kart 01, then use some other vehicle bff for a dummy.
For instance, I want to unpack "aston_martin_vulcan.bff". I unpack, rename and sort files into folders via batch renaming/sorting. I then create the folders "Pakfiles\vehicles\". I copy "kart_01.bff" into that new folder, then rename "kart_01.bff" to ""aston_martin_vulcan.bff".
The new bootfiles with vehiclespersistent included is first activated via JSGME. Next, I would edit whatever I wanted in the unpacked aston_martin_vulcan.bff set of files. Then, I would activate that as a mod in JSGME.

NOTE: at this time, I have only offered to include vehiclespersistent.bff in my "Bootfiles". That bff needs to be run unpacked with either a dummy bff of -remove(if applicable).

 

[Reiche]

This sounds like a good idea. I think Slawek is closest to put new, multiple liveries into the game, but it isn't fully working yet.

(The idea was to separate this thread from the general modding discussion as this is rather "modding light" and will hopefully be "solved" with a similar tool to Crow's custom liveries tool for pC1. So long, I think it's more convenient to gather the information here than to look through multiple pages of the actual modding discussion. [The quotes underline this assumption.])

 

[JDougNY]

A tool such as Crow's custom liveries required every exterior bff to be unpacked, renamed and sorted. It's quite a task (doing all of those exterior BFFs) and not something that should be done, until such time as the patching iterations by SMS die off. If somebody is doing a handful of cars, then it's less of a hassle for that person. They can watch to see if any new patches have revised a BFF that they have unapacked, renamed and sorted....revising all of that as needed to keep things current.
I think that if Crowtrobot were to consider making a livery tool, he would need the help of several people to provide unpacked/renamed/sorted exterior bffs....just too much to put on one person to do. I can't speak for Crowtrobot, either...just my 2 cents.

 

[SlawekTX3]

@JDougNY
@Reiche

Thank you for your help

I will try to apply your instructions by taking inspiration from your work

 

[SlawekTX3]

when you say rename the files, how do you know the exact name?

should all the files that RCF command have to find there?

<REPLACE MATERIAL="vehicles\bentley_continental_gt3\bentley_gt3_paint" NEWMATERIAL="vehicles\_generic_materials\livery_bentley_gt3.mtx" />
<REPLACE MATERIAL="vehicles\bentley_continental_gt3\bentley_gt3_paint_skin" NEWMATERIAL="vehicles\_generic_materials\livery_bentley_gt3_autoskin.mtx" />
<REPLACE MATERIAL="vehicles\bentley_continental_gt3\bentley_gt3_paint_cpit" NEWMATERIAL="vehicles\_generic_materials\livery_bentley_gt3_autocpit.mtx" />
<REPLACE MATERIAL="vehicles\bentley_continental_gt3\bentley_gt3_paint_cpit_skin" NEWMATERIAL="vehicles\_generic_materials\livery_bentley_gt3_autoskin_autocpit.mtx" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\liveries\ben_con_gt3_livery01.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\liveries\ben_con_gt3_livery01_hr.dds" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\ben_gt3_banner_diff.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\liveries\ben_gt3_banner01_diff.dds" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\common_tire_diff.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\tire_pirelli_gt3_diff_00.dds" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\common_tire_spec.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\tire_pirelli_gt3_spec_00.dds" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\common_tire_blur_diff.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\tire_pirelli_gt3_diff_01.dds" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\common_tire_blur_spec.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\tire_pirelli_gt3_spec_01.dds" />
<REPLACE TEXTURE="vehicles\textures\common_tire_nmp8888.dds" NEWTEXTURE="vehicles\textures\tire_pirelli_gt3_nmp8888.dds" />


when we talk about missing textures and file to rename, we talk about that?

I can do and advance on the subject if needed.

 

[JDougNY]

@SlawekTX3
@ others reading this thead

Aluigi didn't want to bother solving the obfuscation of the folder and file names in the BFF's for his quickbms script. He simply gives the excuse that the information isn't in the BFF's. Once we load a BFF into game memory, we can clearly see that there are folder and filenames contained within the bffs (obfuscation removed by the game engine). There has to be (folder and filenames) so that the files may be parsed as needed within the game.

The best way to rename and sort the unpacked files is by following the instructions and using the tools supplied here.... https://tieba.baidu.com/p/4148364163?red_tag=1819912507
I know that I've posted this link several times in both the PC1 and PC2 modding threads, so, I don't know why people keep asking how to do this. Click the link, if you can't read Chinese, use a browser with translate. The process is a bit odd, but it's the best we have.
Also, the scripting doesn't work so well outside of the vehicle bffs. When working with other non-vehicle BFFS, the scripting output must be checked for any splitting of the folder/file entries, correcting as needed. Then the batch rename/sort can continue.

As far as renaming the exterior, cockpit and livery bffs, it's possible to do this by hand. Mebs have the filename at the top of the code...an additional check is needed to determine if the meb is a "_dmg" meb (check the material count register or search for "Vehicles"). Bmt's have their filename at the end of the code. Bmt's contain the texture naming.
The issues some will have is with renaming the textures. If one can't tell the difference between, diffuse, spec, normal, damage, misc, engine, cockpit, interior, tread, tyre, which paint color is which, etc....mistakes will end up being made. So, much easier to follow the batch renaming process.

 

[SlawekTX3]

@JDougNY

Thank you for your help, but it's getting too complex for me. The "rename" part is difficult to understand. I available if it is necessary to give a hand, but all alone, I do not have the cacites for ...

I try to do it, but I do not get results. I find it a pity that SMS does not bring more attention to the customization of the game is cars.

 

[Reiche]

Gonna give it a try again soon with the renaming tool I'll report my results

 

[Reiche]

Oh, I just realized that this is a new thread that splintered off of the PC2 modding thread. I could offer to include the vehiclespersistent.bff unpacked/unlocked into my "Bootfiles" package. That would leave a user to unpack the the exterior BFF, rename files, put those renamed files into correct folders and apply a dummy BFF file. If they do things correctly, the particular car would be free to changes to RCF's....adding entries, removing entries, swapping wheel colors, change tyre/textures....whatever they want to do.

Dummy BFF file for the exterior...use "Kart_01.bff" and rename. Unless you are working on Kart 01, then use some other vehicle bff for a dummy.
For instance, I want to unpack "aston_martin_vulcan.bff". I unpack, rename and sort files into folders via batch renaming/sorting. I then create the folders "Pakfiles\vehicles\". I copy "kart_01.bff" into that new folder, then rename "kart_01.bff" to ""aston_martin_vulcan.bff".
The new bootfiles with vehiclespersistent included is first activated via JSGME. Next, I would edit whatever I wanted in the unpacked aston_martin_vulcan.bff set of files. Then, I would activate that as a mod in JSGME.

NOTE: at this time, I have only offered to include vehiclespersistent.bff in my "Bootfiles". That bff needs to be run unpacked with either a dummy bff of -remove(if applicable).

So: I tried with partial success.

What I did: For the vehiclespersistent.bff I activated Crow's Custom Grid Tool 2. As this wasn't working post patch 4, I activated v4 of your bootfiles (along with altered files for the addition of the 3 mod cars so far) - a state from which the grid tool is working.

I chose the Aston GTE as an example. Renaming worked very well, I got the animation/driver folder and vehicles/_data; aston_martin_vantage_gte; physics; textures, which I stored into a new folder. I created Pakfiles/vehicles in that folder, pasted in a copied kart_01.bff and renamed it to Aston_Martin....bff

I guess there's just another bff needed to be unpacked as the following worked:
- adding an entry to the rcf's
- being able to select that livery in game
- being able to see the livery loaded on the car model
- load to track and see the car

But a few parts/textures where missing. @JDougNY , can you point me to what I need to unpack too?

Livery selection page (I don't care about the missing file right now): http://www.mediafire.com/view/o98oqnma63ahggb/20180216191033_1.jpg
Car in showroom with things missing: http://www.mediafire.com/view/3d85wwdyrs4lx4l/20180216191029_1.jpg
Car at the track with missing things: http://www.mediafire.com/file/jv9o4b11a9o414u/20180216191243_1.jpg

 

[JDougNY]

So: I tried with partial success.
But a few parts/textures where missing. @JDougNY , can you point me to what I need to unpack too?

Whenever you make a new skin/paint, you need to create a new texture for the gui livery select screen. You would make a folder/subfolders named "GUI\vehicleimages\vehicleimages_aston_martin_vantage_gte\" then place your new gui livery texture inside.
Here's the current textures in that folder.. http://www.mediafire.com/file/m12mluip35rij9o/gui_Aston_GTe.rar

 

[Reiche]

Thank you for the reply, Doug.

I'm aware of the missing gui image, but as far as I can tell it does not "hurt" to not have it.

I'm more curious in what's missing on the car itself, e.g. lights, glass,..

I did look for an older version of the custom livery tool for PC1, but I couldn't find it as reference of unpacked bffs.

 

[JDougNY]

Thank you for the reply, Doug.

I'm aware of the missing gui image, but as far as I can tell it does not "hurt" to not have it.

I'm more curious in what's missing on the car itself, e.g. lights, glass,..

I did look for an older version of the custom livery tool for PC1, but I couldn't find it as reference of unpacked bffs.

Without having all of your files in front of me. My first thought is that what you copied from memory with Cheat Engine was incorrect or incomplete, which has caused things like the lights to not be present.
Don't know if you noticed, but a new renaming tool has been made which eliminates the need to use replace pioneer. That tool is in the "downloads" section here at RD.. http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/project-cars2-bff-renaming-tool.19548/

 

[Reiche]

I have been using that tool and followed the guide inside the description.
I had a quick count, 159 files were extracted from the bff and seem to be renamed completely as my "renamed" folder (with subfolders) containts the same number of files.

I'd guess that rather the nfsshift.bms inside the guide is outdated (gonna try with the bms in your public folder later) or that the "Common textures and MTX materials" might be the ones missing. (can't test it at the moment, unfortunately)

Still: A huge thank you for your help =)

 

[Reiche]

nfsshift.bms is equal to your uploaded bms
Common textures made no difference
Vehiclespersistent.bff (unpacked it again, not using crowtrobot's), aston...livery.bff, aston...cockpit.bff, hrdfpersistent.bff unpacked made no difference =/

Just let me add my aim:
Basically, I just want to make it work, even if the addition of liveries must be made manually. I'd like to see a "proof of concept" and then I'll see again.

Here is what I have now unpacked, the "TEST" folder is what I used to copy to the MODS folder.

(As patches are way less frequent than with PC1, I consider it would be less work to maintain those unpacked files. Depending on what I will be able to do/understand, I might want to do a little bit of extra work)

 

[Reiche]

@Shiimis @gvse @LamboMantisMan23, maybe someone of you guys has an idea on how to proceed?

Unfortunately I'm not exactly knowing what I am doing, I'm just following the guides and am stabbing in the dark for now.

Another thing I noticed: can someone explain to me how the "_name.bff" and "name.bff -remove" affect what is loaded?

Small update: found an older version of Custom Liveries Tool for pCars 1 (v0.95). Maybe this is some help.

 

[JDougNY]

Just let me add my aim:
Basically, I just want to make it work, even if the addition of liveries must be made manually. I'd like to see a "proof of concept" and then I'll see again.

Here is what I have now unpacked, the "TEST" folder is what I used to copy to the MODS folder.

(As patches are way less frequent than with PC1, I consider it would be less work to maintain those unpacked files. Depending on what I will be able to do/understand, I might want to do a little bit of extra work)

What is happening is that some binary materials *.bmt are failing to load when running the car unpacked. For instance, I replaced AM_VAN_GTE_RIM.bmt with AM_VAN_GTE_RIM.mtx and the wheels appeared. The same (converting binary materials to MTX) would have to be done for everything else that is not appearing.

-remove....what that does is remove the bff file from the game, which makes the game look for the unpacked files. This works on some bffs, while not on others.

 

[Reiche]

grml.. I understand what to do (basically just execute the bmt2xml converter of your PC1 folder), but I have no idea how to do it.

If anyone could like talk me through it (my own knowledge feels like absolutely dead zero) for a single file, that would be great =/

 

[JDougNY]

grml.. I understand what to do (basically just execute the bmt2xml converter of your PC1 folder), but I have no idea how to do it.

If anyone could like talk me through it (my own knowledge feels like absolutely dead zero) for a single file, that would be great =/

this is the proper (fixed) version of bmt2xml... http://www.mediafire.com/file/h7414wmdpip36vw/bmt2xml-master-2b3c655_FIXED.zip

You use this in a LINUX environment.
Make the bmt2xml file under Linux.
Let's say we're converting MyCar_badges.bmt, this is the syntax

./bmt2xml MyCar_badges.bmt >> MyCar_badges.mtx

 

[Reiche]

I was missing "chmod u+x" at the beginning..

But as I figured it out, I was able to convert the materials and have satisfying results to show:
- added a livery option (note the name in the upper left corner) and the car looks correct to me

- from the inside, it looks correct as well + "custom" banner

- outside: looking good as well, note the non-standard wheels

for those who interested:

I'm currently running vehiclespersistent.bff unpacked (with "-remove") + exterior-bff manufacturer_model.bff unpacked plus I changed all of the bmt files with their mtx-counterparts except from generic_tire, generic_tread, am_van_gte_glass