Saboteur Faceplate

[GenericUsername29]

So somehow I came across this thread, which shows that the Saboteur was originally meant to have a visor, and this was removed at the last minute. So last minute in fact, that the faceplate is still on the model, and is referenced in the .skin file, and in my own (failed) attempt to bring the visor back myself, found it's even referenced in the players.shader file. The thread even mentions that it would be very easy to bring it back- simply make the image file and give it a shader. I tried that like I said, it didn't work out great for me. Though I also have no idea how shaders work, or generally anything that goes beyond a basic skin.

 

https://thejawaclan.com/topic/40014-jedi-academy-did-you-know-1-saboteur-visor/

 

There's the thread I mentioned, and the last post was posted in 2015, so safe to say we're probably not gonna be getting a visor mod from there, I guess? If anyone with more skill than me, which is a lot of people actually, would like to try to add the visor to the Saboteur, I think that would be great.

[Lancelot]

You mean that one?

 

 

I've already made a topic about that some years ago, but with little respond (the picture above was made by me and used in that topic). So I tried to get it done myself, with a simple texture and by editing the skin-file. However, the visor didn't show up in the game.

Making it visible would be cool, because the Saboteur reminds me of Rosh too much.

[GenericUsername29]

Yep, that's it. I didn't even get the visor to show up in ModView when I tried it, so you at least got that to work.

[Lancelot]

I was using Noesis, actually. I couldn't handle ModView back then, so I used that instead.

The visor shows up directly on Noesis, I didn't have to enable it. That's how I found that visor.

[Droidy365]

Well, I've just made two textures for the visor, but for some reason, they're not showing up :/

Here they are here:

 

saboteur_face_plate.jpg

 

saboteur_face_plate_s.jpg

 

Any ideas on how to get them to show up? I've tried removing the original shader from the players.shader file, that didn't work. Also, what do you guys think of the textures?

[Jeff]

You'd have to edit the player model to get it to show up, the visor is set to off. What I'm not sure of is would a surf file turn it on.

[Droidy365]

@@Lancelot What does your edited *.skin file say?

[Lancelot]

@@Droidy365

It's been a while since I've edited it, and I don't know if I have the file anymore. But in the topic ThatOneGuy2486 linked above, the following line can be seen:

 

head_plate_off,models/players/saboteur/saboteur_face_plate.tga

 

So, it seems that the file needs to be a .tga file. Maybe you should try that.

[Jeff]

@@Droidy365

It's been a while since I've edited it, and I don't know if I have the file anymore. But in the topic ThatOneGuy2486 linked above, the following line can be seen:

 

head_plate_off,models/players/saboteur/saboteur_face_plate.tga

 

So, it seems that the file needs to be a .tga file. Maybe you should try that.

 

That's not the issue. The surface is turned off so it won't display without editing the surface. The only thing that might work is a surf file to turn it on, or of course editing the face plate in a modeling program to make the surface visable.

[Droidy365]

@@Jeff Stupid question: How exactly do you make a surf file?

 

 

In the topic ThatOneGuy2486 linked above, the following line can be seen:

 

head_plate_off,models/players/saboteur/saboteur_face_plate.tga

 

So, it seems that the file needs to be a .tga file. Maybe you should try that.

 

All of the lines say that the textures should be *.tga, but most of them are *.jpg

[Jeff]

@@Jeff Stupid question: How exactly do you make a surf file?

 

 

All of the lines say that the textures should be *.tga, but most of them are *.jpg

 

put this into a text document

 

surfOn "head_plate_off"

 

then save as model_default.surf and put file into pk3

[Droidy365]

Does the surf file go in the Saboteur folder? Because if it does, then it doesn't work :/

[Jeff]

Does the surf file go in the Saboteur folder? Because if it does, then it doesn't work :/

 

Yeah I had a brain fart. Surf files only work with Jedi Outcast models.

[Artemis]

Import the glm into Blender and rename the head_plate_off surfaces to just head_plate, then export.  Also fix that line in the skin file and it should show up, at least.

[Droidy365]

 

Yeah I had a brain fart. Surf files only work with Jedi Outcast models.

Ah, ok lol. That would explain why that wasn't working, then.

 

 

Import the glm into Blender and rename the head_plate_off surfaces to just head_plate, then export.  Also fix that line in the skin file and it should show up, at least.

I would do this part myself if I could get it to import/export *.glm files. It always comes up with some stupid errors whenever I try it...

 

 

Error

File not found! (No .gla?)

Perhaps @@mrwonko knows something.........

[GenericUsername29]

Let me see if I can do the visor edit and export thing, I've imported/exported .glm models in Blender before.

 

Edit: Okay, just exported the model with renamed visor parts, and it still doesn't show in ModView.

[mrwonko]

The _off suffix is just a side effect, the actual off flag that you need to turn off is in the ghoul2 properties in the object tab in blender. Hex editing would be preferable to importing and re-exporting though, otherwise you'll lose the normals and this probably introduce lighting issues.

[the_raven]

oh, so I'm not the only one confused with why they didn't have one? nice call

[Langerd]

It is interesting because Imperial Sabouter model is one of the best models made in terms of quality in my opinion - Textures are well made and concept is basic but cool.. But as the enemies they were .. weird .. just i have blaster and blaster pistols and cloak device .. nothing special as the enemy.

I also checked inside the sabouteur folder - the teeth texture is just uvlayout exported - so it is unfinished. Orignal skin is using : head_teeth,models/players/rebel_pilot/teeth.tga

Yep the face plate - there is surface in the modview turned off. Dont know how to edit those - the same thing goes with the rodian with belt and without. I dont know why they didnt just use the *off line in the skin which works better in my opinion and much quicker.

So it just seems - unfinished or just left to the shittery like a lot of things in this game. 

But to be honest if You will look closely on the overall game - There is a lot other styles. There are maps that have photorealistic textures and maps with kinda old type of texture making. It was always problem for me because Jedi Academy has a lot of places not movie looking like.. Jedi Outcast made this a lot better and atmosphere was better - because it was darker. That is why Kyle's and stormtrooper models look very out of place (for me at least ) compering to the Cultist and Saboteur models. They look better in terms of quality.

 

[Lancelot]

@@Langerd

I suggest a slightly improved version of this model. Get him his visor, a better face texture that doesn't remind you of Rosh and a melee weapon.

[GenericUsername29]

Well, great news guys. I did a bit of messing around in Blender, and after a bit, this happened.

(Sorry about the not too particularly well made screenshot) That's using Droidy365's texture on the visor. Does it look good, or would you guys prefer a slightly different look for the visor?

[Noodle]

Should the faceplate have shaders like the rebel_pilot's so you can see his face? 

[Lancelot]

@

Maybe you should make it transparent, just as initially planned by the developers.

[GenericUsername29]

@@Lancelot

The visor is transparent, though that is a bit difficult to see in the screenshot. I could try seeing if it's possible to make it more transparent though.

[Droidy365]

@ Wow! That looks awesome! I personally don't mind if it's transparent or not. I think it would look cool either way