How do you fix the GFX?
I need to know it.
Also to change them, but that's other story.
-Open up the character in a BB that shows their MoveDef_FitXXXXX (The Xes being the character's name). Or open them in PSA. It's important to figure out which one they were made in since typically they'll only be able to save edits in the software they were made in. This can be the most frustrating part. BB .68B is reliable in this way.
=Open folder "Sections" and then "Data" and lastly "Sub Action scripts". In here you'll find everything the character does. All of these fodler contain the pizaz for everything a character does, ranging from SFX, GFX, Main, and Other. But you'll be concerned with GFX.
-Open up EVERY GFX folder and look inside for "External Graphic" (Everyone you see will potentially load a GFX from the ef_XXXX included in the pack (XXXX once again being the name) to find a list of things. The first thing you'll have selected should be Graphic, which has information pasted on the window to the right. It should display the EFLS entry Index value (Or we could refer to them as IDs). The number there tells the action what GFX to load using an EFLs.
-EFLs are in a tab in your ef_XXXX. Open that tab as well and count the white boxes starting from 0. Count all the way down until you count to the number that was displayed in the EFLs entry Index. Inside this window it should display a BRRES ID. It should also read "true" at the top. If it doesn't then this GFX doesn't matter (normally). Anyway, the BRRES ID is the number for the models further down. Each model has a number. THIS is what dictates what GFX is loaded during a move.
So to recap: Start with an action in the Subaction scripts>Go to GFX>If there is an external Graphic tab then open it>read the EFLSentryIndex value and memorize it (Let's say it's 9)> Go down to efls and count the white boxes inside starting from 0 to the number you just memorized (In this case 9)> From there you can see what mdl it's loading.
What you do here is kind of up to you. You could import more models (Remember to set them to model data and give them a number that isn't already being used) and add EFLS to the EFLS tab (remember to change these EFLS boxes to true and give them the BRRES ID that you gave the model). Then export the ef_XXXX portion of the .pac and import it to someone else's pack and change their GFX>External Graphics>EFLS entry Index to read the EFLS that is associated with the model that you imported.
You could combine ef_XXXXXs this way, or you could take assist trophy or enemy's ef_XXXXXs and replace a character's ef_XXXXX and start adding their GFX in that one (Be sure to pick an assist trophy/enemy ef_XXXXX that has at least one example of what you're going to put inside of them, whether it be a Texture or a model. Also be sure to change the GFXFile ID in the Graphic window to the ID of the assist trophy. in BB68b, some of them have names. This makes it easy.
In the case of PSA you'll need a cheat sheet. This is all of the IDS in Hex:
http://opensa.dantarion.com/wiki/Effect.pac_IDs . When using BB68b, you'll ned to convert these IDs to normal, or decimal as it's called in a a calculator.). In doing so your character will load from an ef_file of a different name. If I have ef_Lin in my Broly.pac, then then he won't conflict with ganondorf, because ganondorf loads his GFXs from ef_Ganon.
This is how you avoid GFX clashing.
Final tips:
MAKE SURE you import textures necessary for your GFX to show up. No textures means that they could show up as white boxes or eve invisible.
MAKE SURE you don't exceed a file size limit. How can you tell if you did? Silent freeze during a match loading. How do you prevent this? Trial and error, but typically below 530 KB seems safe. If you're just over and want to go down, compress some textures, or remove unnecessary ones altogether. After doing this, test the character to make sure what you compressed/deleted wasn't important.
NEVER just import an EFLS over an assist trophy and call is done. Importing that basically transforms it into the previous ef_file.
MAKE SURE you copy the .pac you're working on. Certain BBs or PSA can corrupt the file and make you start over. You want to make sure you save progress.
MAKE SURE to also check the "Other" and "Main" tabs to actions as well since they can also contain External Graphic tabs.
MAKE SURE you also modify Terminate Graphics. GFXs need to end. Terminate Graphic tabs do just that. Make sure they know what to terminate. They are normally found in the same folder as the "External Graphic". Not every GFX has one though so don't go insane if you can't find it.
MAKE SURE you also check the Articles in the "Data" folder (somewhere beneath the Subaction scripts folder). If a GFX STILL isn't fixed, you may need to fix it in there.
MAKE SURE that when doing this in PSA you rememeber that IDs are in hexidecimal. For more on that, use a search engine to explain. It's easy, it's like adding 6 more numerals to the numeric alphabet (except they're letters... we just treat the mas number temporarily).
PREPARE to get angry, confused, frustrated, warn out, maniacal, and insane, since there are plenty of things that could go wrong. The key is to be persistent.
AND LASTLY test frequently. If you did at least ONE thing right it'll show up in a test. This means you're on the right track. EVERY character is different, and the process can e tedious. Little victories will keep you going and give you hope
That's all I've got really, I'm not expert, I don't know too much else.
Good luck!
Post Merge: March 03, 2014, 10:32:14 PM
By the way, Nebulon, I've never downloaded your pack, but are all your characters set up so that their GFX don't conflict or turn invisible without reason?
They are
BUT FOR NOW I recommend that after every match you back out of the CSS and then go back in to continue playing. This will reset the ef_files loaded. Since some of my characters were fixed by sharing them, they are prone to be unloaded when a character using one was deselected. It's an easy thing to do and should only add a whooping 3-4 seconds of time inbetween matches.
Before you download you may want to hold off. I've just got done fixing quite a few bugs and will update the pack very soon. It'd be a shame for you to download for a while and then have to redownload for the fixes. I can PM you when I reupload so that you'll know when it's okay to download.
