[TUTORIAL] Custom NPC Creation

[Curas]

Custom NPC Creation

Hello Folks,

I programmed a tool in Java to generate entries for the CreatureDisplayExtraInfo.dbc and
today I decided to write a tutorial for creating custom NPCs.
Hope you like it.

What you need:
Included
EntryCreator.jar
DBCUtil.exe
BLP Converter.exe
WinMPQ or something similar

Not Included
Model Viewer R770
Photoshop / G.I.M.P or something similar
Simple Text Editor
CreatureDisplayInfo.dbc
CreatureDisplayInfoExtra.dbc

[attachment=0:3c5lhv78]NPCCreationKit.rar[/attachment:3c5lhv78]

Create a character in the model viewer without Shoulder / Cloak / Weapons / Helm and Hidden Hair
Export the model as 3DS and open the ".tga" with Photoshop or something similar
Save the ".tga" as soldier.png and convert them with BLP Converter by drag&drop over the BLPConverter.exe to soldier.blp



CreatureDisplayInfo.dbc
First entry:: DisplayID
Fourth entry: relatedID to CreatureDisplayInfoExtra.dbc

Convert the CreatureDisplayInfo.dbc and CreatureDisplayInfoExtra.dbc with DBCUtil in a readable format by Drag&Drop over the DBCUtil.exe

Search in WoW for a NPC whom you want to replace with your new and note his DisplayID.

Open the CreatureDisplayInfo.dbc with a text editor and search for the DisplayID.



Note down the fourth entry in the row and then open the EntryCreator.jar

Now open again in the model viewer and choose the items the NPC the NPC should wear. (Except weapons)

Write the displayIDs (in modelviewer the second number in square brackets behind the item) according to the text boxes of the EntryCreator, and then click "Show Entry".



Then copy the entry from the top line in the export line and press
"Export to 'Entry.dbc.csv'", the file is saved
in the Directory where EntryCreator.jar is located. (Any number of entries can be exported.)

Please check again all your data and replace it with your new entry in the CreatureDisplayInfoExtra.dbc



Last but not least you create with WinMPQ or a similar tool a patch.

Revert the two DBCs from *.csv.dbc to *.dbc by drag&drop over DBCUtil.exe

The "soldier.blp" must have the following path:
textures  BakedNpcTextures
Both DBC files must have the following path:
DBFilesClient

Start World of Warcraft and admire your work!  

Some of my own NPCs:
[spoiler:3c5lhv78]

[/spoiler:3c5lhv78]

Best Regards

Curas

[Skullbot]

Pretty good  :!:

Is your EntryCreator updated for 3.3.5 ? If not, for which version it was designed ?
Because DBC format often change with WoW Version so such program become outdated quickly.
But maybe those DBC haven't change for while, I don't know :p

[Curas]

Entry Creator based upon 3.2.2a DatabaseClientFiles, I'm not sure but it should work with other DBCs too.

MfG

Curas

EDIT:
If someone can send me the CreatureDisplayInfo.dbc & CreatureDisplayInfoExtra.dbc from Client 3.3.5.
I'll test it if it works.

[Skullbot]

Here they are : DBC 3.3.5a

[gorq]

Well done! ^^ Thanks, now i have a nice interface to make this

I'm feeling embarrased because anyone is making great apps.. lol

[Curas]

As I said, I checked it. 3.2.2a and 3.3.5a has the same dbc file structure, here is a screen shot. I take the same entry from both and checked it.



as you see it's the same, so you can use this tool also for 3.3.5a

MfG

Curas

[Skullbot]

Okay, so I'll not need to code this tool by myself, at least, not for this DBC ^^.

I was planning to create a program which can edit DBC directly from MPQ and save them into the MPQ.
No longer need those CSV converter ^^.
But by editor I mean an editor like the one you've made, in order to add custom stuff like displayID, sounds, factions etc directly in DBC with an user-friendly interface.

Because I have to say that it's pretty boring to add stuff line by line (like in Items.dbc) when you have many entries to add ^^.

Anyway, if you have the actual CSV offsets for some DBC (or at least those two), it will help me a lot (and will keep me from looking for it on the Web ^^).

[Supora]

So I create my custom NPC on 3.3.5a
but when I compile from csv to dbc, dbc becomes empty
and I use Taliis
But thnx very very much for this guide

[Supora]

Oh... When I create DisplayID without helm, characters don't have hair-geoset... Only green texture

[Shrexx]

WoW, very cool :O

[Freigeist]

One Question; and where to put the model file? This only changes Equip/Texture to me.

lG,

[Tjuki]

Thank you very much =)

[Shakar]

I'm having a problem with the beginning of the tutorial...

When I export the model to 3DS, all the program does is crash after making a 3ds file (I'm assuming it's the model itself) but it isn't making a TGA with it as I'm assuming that's what it's supposed to do.

I looked on the WMV site that you have linked, but I don't see R770 as you said is required in the post anywhere on the site.

Any clue on what is going on? I'd like to create custom NPCs for my future RP server, but I'm not really wanting to do it with the already pre-made displays from Blizzard. Any idea on what I could do about it?

EDIT:
I managed to get a model viewer to get the tga made so the crashing isn't an issue now...

My new issue, how ever, is that now the display id I based my new textures on are now all green with a hood and cape I never gave them, and the Texture I made isn't showing up on the ID I gave it...

[Nupper]

My first temp came as a green troll with only hair and shoulders working.
my second attempt got me

[Steff]

Could someone suply the R770 version of ModelViewer?

The one I have crash on 3ds export and the current once have no 3ds export.