Hex editing _loda.o files - for experienced patchers only...

[Tony]

I posted this on the nbalive.org forums, I think it would be useful here too, perhaps Andrew can sticky it.

NEWSFLASH: Texture mapping is editable (more or less) with Hex Editors. Get one first if you're gonna attempt what I'm gonna suggest to you. Personally I use UltraEdit, but there is Hex Workshop too, and countless others. Get those programs on www.download.com

So... first of all, many probably have no idea what's the point of this entire thing I'm writing up, and what texture mapping is.
Texture mapping (definition) The process of superimposing a 2-D texture or pattern over the surface of a 3-D graphical object. This is an efficient method for producing the appearance of texture, such as that a human face, on a large surface area.

This is a tutorial which will tell you how to take a texture map from one player .o file, and put it into another's. Now, every cyberface in the NBA Live series comes with it's own 3D object, and a 2D texture. Each player has his own texture map. With texture maps done properly, just for an example, a smiling player that you have on the texture (bhed) will not have a grinning smile within the game. This is accomplished via texture maps.

In player_loda.o files, which you need to open with the Hex editor of yoru choice, the texture maps are stored in between these 2 strings
start:
2000000002000000
end:
B00100803600

To locate these strings, just use the Find/Search options. Remember, the texture map is everything in between the mentioned strings. Texture maps are also only stored in the _loda.o files, so they are the only things you need to edit - copy a texture map from a player_loda.o file of your choice, into another headshape of your own choice.

The benefit of this? You can easily change headshapes when making a cyberface, and as most patchers know, that is a major pain in the ass, because every time you change a headshape, you have to tweak the texture (bhed), move the eyes, nose, lips to the correct place, resize them, and a lots of other things. With this method, you need to make the texture ONLY ONCE, and you can chose ANY map you want, and use it on another headshape. When changing headshapes, all you need to do is paste some text from one .o file to another, and every facial feature will fit perfectly onto the 3D model.

It is also useful if you have a pic with a closed mouth, and you want to use a headshape whose texture has an open mouth (for example Antonio Daniels), you can just find a player whose texture has a closed, non-smiling mouth, tweak the bhed for that mapping, and just paste the text into the smiling-texture's .o file (like Bru did in one of his legend patches, mixed a Shandon Anderson mapping with Bo Outlaw's headshape, if I'm not mistaken)

Anyway, much thanks to Bru for telling me where the texture map strings are located, he's the mastermind who figured this thing out. With practice you'll get the hang of this, it makes things much more convenient.

The tutorial might be a little clumsy, it's because I wrote it all up pretty quickly... but anyway, the only things you need to know is where the texture map begins in an .o file, and where it ends.

[Tony]

to make things easier for me atleast, any further questions i'll be answering at this link, although not much else needs to be told.

http://www.nbalive.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2184

[Andrew]

Stickied.

[Nick]

Thanks Tony i was waiting for this.

[Bru]

Notes for player detail settings

MAX and HIGH take the loda.o file. So far all the patches that use the mapping trick won't have any problem playing with these settings.


MEDIUM uses the lodc.o file. The mapping starts with 68050080 and ends with a string of 0000 normally, so I can't determine exactly the end. However you can use this picture as a reference, It's antonio daniels headshape, look where ends the selection, for other headshapes start selecting at 68050080 until you get the same number of data.
(Iverson and Chamberlain lodc are different, and I haven't been able to edit them, maybe you will find others headshapes with this problem)



LOW uses lodd.o file. The mapping may change for different size of headshapes. It seems to be between C4BA40B8C93B or 2E3A40B8C93B and 10020080 (this is for 4kb lodd.o files, for 3kb files it may star with the same data but you won't find 10020080)

Since headshapes are almost the same in LOW settings I would suggest to use the original lodd.o file where you extracted the mapping, I think no difference at all will be noticed while playing the game.


SUIT this must be for the cut scenes where the players appear dressed, I haven't seen any of these cut scenes (If somebody can tell me how to see them I'll check it) but I guess the mapping may be between F0D3103C and 0080001003BA .

[Hotshot]

Bru, how do you figure out where the mapping starts and where it ends?

[Bru]

Bru, how do you figure out where the mapping starts and where it ends?

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~nbalive/ph ... hp?t=10780


Also don't worry about the lod*u.o files they seem not to have texture mapping

[funamenls]

which file would b for the hair? would like to give pip his afro
bru i read u did it for live 2000 any tips would b helpful