Custom Portrait Tutorial

Seeing as so many guys are asking how to make a portrait, I thought I'd write a tutorial.

You don't need a cyberface to have a portrait, check here to find out how.

The first thing you need to do is create the picture you want to use for your portrait. Once you have one, cut it out and copy it onto a 128x128 image. You should have it like this; some of the bottom will be cut off, so pretty much only the head is showing in-game. Make sure to save it as a .png file to keep the transparency.




After you have that, you need to open the file fe/plyrprts.viv and extract one of the files, it doesn't matter which, it should be a file called plyrprts~SHONEAL.big (or whatever the name of the player is). Open that file and extract the four files found inside. You should extract all the files to a folder you've created, it makes it a lot easier if they're all in the same place, including the image you want to use.

Now you need to rename the files. The name you choose is a seven letter code, ex. SHONEAL. That code must be the same code as the one you used for you cyberface. There should be four files, a .fsh, .ebo, .apt and .const, DO NOT EDIT THE .APT OR .CONST FILE EXCEPT TO CHANGE THE NAME.

You need to open the .fsh file using a .fsh editor, and import the image you want for your portrait. You will also need to open the .ebo file using a Hex Editor, get one here. In the .ebo go to the bottom and find the line ..shoneal1.. (or whatever the code is instead of 'shoneal'). Change the 'shoneal' to, you guessed it, your seven letter code, same as the cyberface and what you named the portrait files.

Open the plyrprts~SHONEAL.big (or whatever it's called) file once again and import the four files; the .fsh, .ebo, .apt and the .const; Rebuild them and close the .big file. You have now finished creating a portrait file for your player.

The last step is to put the .big file in the sgsm folder. Remember, you also need a cyberface in order for your portrait to work, and you will need to do the correct .dbf editing as well.

I've found that sometimes the portrait doesn't work but the cyberface will show up, or the portrait will be cut-off. If this happens, simply redo the entire custom-portrait process using a different players .big file as a base, it should work then.

Last edited by Cable on Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:31 am, edited 3 times in total.

STICKY!!!!!! awesome tutorial

thanks cabel,this will helped me alot
you should sticky this

word lucky i got this before you put it up! XD
still gotta work out the cutting off of teh shoulders though

though i figured raptors would be somehow included in this

Hey, I have to support the hometown ... besides, they're the only ones I've done besides my own

i had a problem don't know if i did something wrong.
I want it to fix the position of my lamar odom because it was cut-off.

First i took ANBOGUT's portrait.I extract all the files and rename them to LAODOM_.Them i imported my portrait to the fsh and rename the ebo at the end to LAODOM_.
After i importred all of them in the bogut portrait that i have renamed.except now i had he files of ANBOGUT and LAODOM_,So i deleted the ANBOGUT Files and then i have rebuilded.

When i went in the game the portrait was blank with nothing.

Did i did something wrong?

I don't know. I had that problem with my created player too, and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. I eventually gave up and lived with it, but a couple days ago I tried again and it worked. I guess just keep trying different ones

Great turtorial! This better be stickied.

hm.. did you touch the number 1 after the name? cause if you do it fucked EVERYTHING up.

rallyrally nice

Thanks alot Cable Guy! This is my first portrait ever:


Is it ok?

BTW: It's Miami's Gerald Fitch

looks good. perhaps a lil shadow? but thats just me

So if I wanna release it sometime, do I just pack the .big - file with WinRar and then up it?

yeah sure

Thanks alot Cable Guy! This is my first portrait ever:


Is it ok?

BTW: It's Miami's Gerald Fitch

Looks pretty good.

STICKY!!!!!! awesome tutorial

you should sticky this

This better be stickied.

I'm not trying to be a nag, but ...

this must b stickyyyy

Cable Guy...
how can I add portrait for created user?!
I've done photoshoping picture, but I don't know where to find that created players files (.big)

please help

After you have that, you need to open the file fe/plyrprts.viv and extract one of the files, it doesn't matter which, it should be a file called plyrprts~SHONEAL.big (or whatever the name of the player is). Open that file and extract the four files found inside. You should extract all the files to a folder you've created, it makes it a lot easier if they're all in the same place, including the image you want to use.

Do you get that?

yes...but I can't extract files from .big file after I extract (example) plyrprts~SHONEAL.big .

use program bigGUI

thanx!!!

Stickied.

Updated with the link to a Hex Editor.


Sorry, I forgot I left a link there

Very good tutorial Cable Guy Nice stuff..