Hi guys,
this is my first tutorial on the topic of World of Warcraft modding, so excuse some of my phrasings if they are incorrect.
This tutorial is about modifying the loading screen [screen that appears when loading your map] of your WoW map or one of the default ones. So take a sip of coffe and let's go!
Tools that you need:
- a blp <-> png tool
- Taliis
- MPQ extractor
1. Step
Create a new image (1280x1024 or ) in your favourite image manipulation program and design your desired loading screen. Keep in mind that there is also a loading bar that will be added to your image ingame (unless you change the loading bar too, but thats another story). You think your image is perfect? Go on.
2. Step
Resize your whole image to a size of 512x512 (or 1024x1024). It will be stretched or jolted by this process, but ignore the blemish caused by that. Now save it as a png file and then convert it to a .blp. Name it like this: LoadScreenYourMapNameHere.blp
3. Step
Now to the database related stuff; open up the patch-deDE-3.MPQ (enGB, usUS,.. depends on your version of WoW) and extract the Map.dbc and the LoadingScreens.dbc from DBFilesClient folder.
4. Step
Open up the LoadingScreens.dbc with Taliis and go to Strings table. There you add 2 new strings; one with the name of you map and one with a path like this: InterfaceGluesLoadingScreensLoadScreenYourMapNameHere.blp. Write down the two new IDs you got and head on to the Table table. Right click on the last line and click Clone Selected Row. A new row popped up; change #0 to the previous ID+1 and write this value down, it's the most important one. In #1 you enter the first string number you created, in #2 the second one, for the path. Ignore the last column, save your file and go on to the next step!
5. Step
Open up the Map.dbc in Taliis and find the row of the level of which you want to change the loading screen. It can be a good help to at first open find the map ID ingame or on some lists on the internet. Now scroll to column #57 and change the number that is there to the number you used as the Loadscreen ID first (remember, the important number of Step 4).
6. Step
Create a new folder like this: new folderInterfaceGluesLoadingScreens and put your .blp file there. Then make another folder in new folder named DBFilesClient and put the Map.dbc and the LoadingScreens.dbc tables into this one. Pack everything together to a patch-deDE-3.MPQ (enGB, usUS,.. remeber?), replace the Map.dbc in your server files and enjoy your brand new loading screen!
If there are any questions on this, post them in this thread. I hope I can write more tutorials once I understand the principe of World of Warcraft modding better.
lG,
