Author Topic: how do I change the NPC portraits?  (Read 5861 times)

posom2

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how do I change the NPC portraits?
« on: November 21, 2006, 06:07:20 PM »
how do I change NPC portraits, other then using them for my PC? I have an alternate Imoen and Aerie I'd like to use instead of the default ones, but when I got them it didn't say how I get the game to USE them :'( any help would be appreciated...

Offline Miloch

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2006, 04:02:17 AM »
Most portrait packages should have instructions, if not an installer.  If not, make sure the portraits are in the proper format, i.e.:
XXXXXXXS.bmp for small (38x60, 8-bit color)
XXXXXXXL.bmp for large (110x170, 24-bit color)

And then copy them to your override folder, for example (for Imoen):
\override\IMOENL.bmp
\override\IMOENS.bmp

Unless you're using Tutu, then it would be:
\override\_MOENL.bmp
\override\_MOENS.bmp

posom2

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2006, 05:46:23 PM »
oh, are you sure? somehow I gave imoen an alternate portrait by naming it something... and putting it in the portraits folder... oh well, does that NAMEOFNPCL and NAMEOFNPCS work with all the NPC names?

Offline Miloch

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2006, 01:56:51 AM »
Putting them in the portraits folder should work too, since I believe that is one of several folders that acts as an override folder.  It will also have the side effect of making those portraits selectable during character creation (if you choose a custom portrait).

The naming convention should work, more or less, for all NPCs.  Some are truncated though, for example MONTARL, MONTARS.  I'm not sure if a full list of NPC filenames exists anywhere, but you can get something like Near Infinity and browse your BMP folder.

Offline Bons

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2006, 08:31:08 AM »
The names of the NPC portrait files are only 8 characters long (That's the max name length for any portrait recognized by the game), i.e. DYNAHEIL.bmp, not DYNAHEIRL.bmp. There is an exception: Branwen's port is called BRANWEL.bmp for some reason instead of using her full name. Tutu naming conventions are different still. The first letter of the NPC name is dropped and replaced by an underscore.

In BG2, the NPC portrait names are no more than eight characters long, but are also prefixed with 'N'. For instance, NANOMENM.bmp and NANOMENS.bmp, NJAHEIRM.bmp and NJAHEIRS.bmp. The naming convetion for the sizes is also different:

BGBG2Tutu
Party PortraitXXXXXXXS.bmp NXXXXXXS.bmp _XXXXXXS.bmp
Drop the first letter of the NPC name.
Inventory Portrait XXXXXXXL.bmp NXXXXXXM.bmp _XXXXXXL.bmp
Drop the first letter of the NPC name.
Epilogue Portrait XXXXXXXG.bmp NXXXXXXL.bmp _XXXXXXG.bmp
Drop the first letter of the NPC name.

Where 'X' is all or a portion of the NPC's name. Stick them in the override folder.
Newt had always suspected that people who regularly used the word "community" were using it in a very specific sense that excluded him and everyone he knew.

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Offline Miloch

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2006, 06:06:51 AM »
Thanks for the clarification Bons... wasn't aware of the 'N' for BG2 (since it also includes the BG1 portraits without the N... I presume for character selection).

Offline Bons

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2006, 06:42:55 AM »
Right, that's why you find NPC portraits in your "portraits" folder: to make them available for use with a PC.
Newt had always suspected that people who regularly used the word "community" were using it in a very specific sense that excluded him and everyone he knew.

             --Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, "Good Omens"

Offline Miloch

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2006, 10:11:59 AM »
Actually, the ones I'm talking about (BG1 portraits in BG2 e.g. AJANTISS.BMP) are not in the portraits or even the override folder - I have to use NI or DLTCEP to get at them.  Presumably, you could override those also by putting alternate portraits with the same name in either the portraits or the override folder.

Offline Bons

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2006, 04:58:55 PM »
Oh, I just remembered something very simple. If you just want to change the ports of the NPCs in your party, use Shadowkeeper. It allows you to edit your savegame and switch NPC ports to any BMP in your portraits folder with only a few points and clicks.
Newt had always suspected that people who regularly used the word "community" were using it in a very specific sense that excluded him and everyone he knew.

             --Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, "Good Omens"

MouseArm

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2007, 03:58:05 PM »
Epilogue Portrait XXXXXXXG.bmp NXXXXXXL.bmp _XXXXXXG.bmp
I don't remember any epilogue portraits showing in BG1, only at the end of ToB. Are you sure?

Offline Miloch

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Re: how do I change the NPC portraits?
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2007, 05:27:07 PM »
Right - BG1 doesn't have epilogue portraits.

 

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