Final Fantasy Hacktics

Modding => Tutorials and Learning => Topic started by: Celdia on February 11, 2011, 01:02:40 am

Title: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on February 11, 2011, 01:02:40 am
Now this is something I know there have been a lot of requests for, including from myself back in the day.
Well as the saying goes, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." and that is what I've aimed for here.
Just so there's no confusion: Images will be posted ABOVE the text referring to them. If a picture doesn't make
sense on its own, scroll down and read a bit.

Here's the list of programs you'll need for importing new formation sprites: Shishi Sprite Editor and Graphics Gale.
This tutorial will start by assuming you have already replaced the sprite in your  ISO with Shishi. If you haven't done that already,
do so.

Ready? Okay, good. You made sure to set the new sprite's SHP and SEQ to the proper Type for the new sprite, right? I'll wait.

(https://i.imgur.com/9hRtQrv.png)

Okay, for this tutorial we'll be replacing the Male Monk with Vanya's Spikey Warrior custom sprite.

(https://i.imgur.com/AJ0AAWr.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/LkqtecN.png)
Step 1: Open your ISO (or BIN or what have you) in Shishi. Go to the Other Images tab, then find the
formation sprite & portrait under "UNIT.BIN (Formation Screen Sprites)" and "WLDFACE.BIN" respectively.

(https://i.imgur.com/dGRhGX6.png)
Step 2: Export both the UNIT and WLDFACE images. It's the most effective way to get an image
file that Shishi will accept for Import later.
(https://i.imgur.com/dMFeNZL.png)
Save them with whatever file names you like. We'll be replacing their images soon.

(https://i.imgur.com/nDZaXIc.png)
Step 3: Switch back to Sprites, go to your imported sprite, and take a screenshot with PrntScrn.
Also, if you do not have your new sprite saved in BMP format, select Export As BMP from the menu and save
the sprite into a new file. (Yeah, this probably didn't need an image but I'm being thorough.)

(https://i.imgur.com/3icGmAz.png)
Step 4: Open Graphics Gale and create a new image. Paste your screenshot into this new image. This is
where we will get the graphics for the new formation screen. Just keep it open for later.

(https://i.imgur.com/LeZLZgx.png)
Step 5: Open the exported UNIT and WLDFACE images in Graphics Gale. I like to zoom
these images up a bit to make lining up things for editing easier.

(https://i.imgur.com/cxzpQ8b.png)
Step 6: Now we're going to load the color palettes for the new formation sprites. If you don't have a Palette window
open in Graphics Gale already you can get one by going up to View > Palette. In the Palette window click the little
underlined down-arrow and select Load Palette.
(https://i.imgur.com/39AC52U.png)
Next, click the File button and choose Import From File. This is why we exported the new sprite from Shishi as a BMP.
The file you're going to import from is the battle spritesheet - not the screenshot, UNIT, or WLDFACE.
Make sure you don't get that mixed up as you're going through this tutorial!
(https://i.imgur.com/dezEKfx.png)
Open that BMP file and you will get a new window with a whole bunch of little colored tiles. On the left are the palettes
from the BMP you opened. On the right is the palette for the image you're editing, be it the unit or the portrait.
The top 8 rows are the unit palettes while the bottom 8 are portrait palettes. Drag and highlight the top row of colors
from the one you're editing, unit or portrait, and then click the left-most tile on the right. This will replace the entire
palette.
(https://i.imgur.com/wYbdRDC.png)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The 'Match pixels with colors' checkbox must be flagged (default) for portraits and must be
UNFLAGGED for the unit palette. If you don't get this right your images will look all wonky. I can't count how many
times I messed this up before I realized what the problem was.
(https://i.imgur.com/k6oD7AP.png)
Once you've got your new palette loaded to the tiles on the right, click OK and you should see a change in your image.
Repeat this process for both the unit and portrait images and we'll move on.

(https://i.imgur.com/D1odfQh.png)
Step 7: Now this is where we need that screenshot of Shishi. with the new palettes loaded into the UNIT and
WLDFACE images we can now just copy and paste the sprites from the spritesheet and they will look correct. The unit
sprite is easy enough but the portrait will need to be rotated counter-clockwise 90 degrees. Once again, zoom is applied
for ease of editing.
(https://i.imgur.com/WRkBTwX.png)
Just grab that little box attached to the line once you've selected the portrait area and drag it up and left until everything
looks nice and aligned.
(https://i.imgur.com/NEeZlcm.png)
Then Copy from the spritesheet and paste over the old portrait. Now save your modified UNIT and WLDFACE images.

(https://i.imgur.com/BpYGys2.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/oQ0eQY8.png)
Step 8: Back to Other Images. If you followed all the steps thus far, there should be no errors here.
Simply select Import and load up your UNIT and WLDFACE images.
(https://i.imgur.com/lUbgKOh.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/5W2hXlh.png)


(https://i.imgur.com/qRrHNkQ.png)
That's it! Close Shishi, load up your ISO and check out the new formation sprite!

Happy hacking! ^_^

(Thank you to DarthFutuza for rehosting the tutorial images.)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Cheetah on February 14, 2011, 04:33:41 am
Have you tried CDProg, Celdia? I find it to be way way superior and faster to CDMage.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on February 14, 2011, 04:55:09 am
I can't say I have but CDMage works plenty fast for me. In fact the idea that I would need something faster almost seems silly since it never really has any wait time in it.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Wasabi on February 17, 2011, 10:59:47 pm
Under step 8, when copying the custom sprite off of shishi, how much leeway should you have away from the yellow border? I'd like to have the sprite centered within the 24x40 dimensions, so knowing this vital info would be of great help for this tutorial.

Seriously, what an awesome tutorial, Celdia!

edit: Nevermind. Resolved within mIRC.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Mary Quite Contrary on February 21, 2011, 07:37:48 pm
This is a great guide, I appreciate the work!

I was wondering if you could help me out a bit, though. I'm having this weird problem where CDMage opens my fresh ISO just fine, everything displays properly, no error messages. But after patching sprites with Shishi's, CDMage opens the ISO and gives me a similar (but not the same) error message to the one you mentioned:
(http://i51.tinypic.com/2v9b5tz.jpg)


After that, the ISO loads, but I only have the BATTLE and DUMMY folder.
(http://i53.tinypic.com/14ju3p5.jpg)


I'm pretty careful about following steps (I think!) but I am not sure what might be the problem.

For reference, I'm using CDmage 1.01.5 and the most recent Shishi's downloadable from the front page (Can't seem to find a version on the darn thing).
Edit: Just tested, and even if I don't change any sprites, just opening it in Shishi's and restructuring the ISO seems to result in this.

Edit: Just tried it using a very old version of Shishi's from several years ago, and it works fine. Go figure!!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on February 21, 2011, 11:26:09 pm
I love it when a problem resolves itself. ^_^
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Ahrum on February 27, 2011, 02:13:42 am
Excellent guide, works every step of the way! 

One question, though.  Whenever I try to export BMP in Shishi, the portrait changes.
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/TheMoogleDance/FemaleSquire.jpg)


Is there a way to export with the portrait intact?  Having the portrait screwy is messing with the color palette.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Eternal on February 27, 2011, 02:24:54 am
That's normal, to my knowledge. I think every exported spritesheet has a screwy portrait.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Ahrum on February 27, 2011, 02:30:30 am
Hmm, maybe I'm selecting the wrong lines of the color palette, then?

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/TheMoogleDance/Image4.jpg)


That's what happens when I copy the image... it's not that noticeable on this portrait, but it's pretty ridiculous on others.  Note: it's barely noticeable on the sprite itself.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on February 27, 2011, 02:36:15 am
That looks like you've got the wrong palette loaded into the WLDFACE image before pasting in the portrait. Make sure you're grabbing the 9th row of colors from the sprite sheet palette. Those look like the first row looking at it closely.

Also you're one pixel off on that copy/paste.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Ahrum on February 27, 2011, 02:46:26 am
Well, step by step, this is what I do.

I select the bmp of the sprites with the goofy portrait to load the palette from ->
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/TheMoogleDance/Image6.jpg)


I replace the line on the right with the top line on the left ->
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/TheMoogleDance/Image8.jpg)


I get this ->
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a331/TheMoogleDance/Image10.jpg)


:cry:
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on February 27, 2011, 02:49:21 am
Exactly your problem.

From above: "The top 8 rows are the unit palettes while the bottom 8 are portrait palettes. Drag and highlight the top row of colors from the one you're editing, unit or portrait, and then click the left-most tile on the right. This will replace the entire palette."

Do you see where you're going wrong?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Ahrum on February 27, 2011, 02:52:19 am
You are the best.  Thank you very much!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on February 27, 2011, 02:54:04 am
You're welcome. ^_^ Happy hacking.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Durbs on March 04, 2011, 04:35:09 pm
Any chance you'd be able to make a youtube video of this? I thought I understood all of the steps, but when I loaded up the iso, instead of my custom sprites being present, no sprites were present at all, and when I wanted to go into battle the game crashed! I have no idea where I went wrong.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: ultros on March 24, 2011, 02:25:48 pm
Will this work with psp version FFTWOTL?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Wasabi on March 24, 2011, 08:35:25 pm
@ Ultros: Yes, but the process in extracting the unit.bin and WLDFACE.bin is different for the WotL version. Instead of CDMage, you use UMDGen. If you have any more questions on how to go about this, please use the search function; there are topics and answers regarding custom sprites in battle and in the formation screen.

edit: Also, Durbs, it helps immensely if you can detail the problem you are witnessing the best you possibly can, step-by-step, so that we can understand what your issue is. I'm banking on the assumption that you have an unclean iso, but it also helps us if you can tell us if you're using an already patched iso, WotL version iso, etc.

Really, truly, emulate with your words and do not leave any one description to the problem with any generalization.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Larkas on May 03, 2011, 03:03:21 pm
Great guide, it really helped me out! Thanks Celdia!

@Wasabi and @Ultros

I know this is a dead issue by now, but you can use CDMage to mess with WotL. All you have to do is:

1 - Open the PSP iso as M1/2048 track .iso;
2 - Go to Track 1/PSP_GAME/USRDIR and extract "fftpack.bin";
3 - As an extra step, launch a FFTPatcher (I'm using version .478), go to PSP=>Utilities=>Extract fftpack.bin..., and extract into an empty folder;
4 - Navigate to that folder and find your UNIT.BIN and WLDFACE.BIN (it's at the same place it would be in the PSX .iso as shown by Celdia, i.e.: <folder>/EVENT);
4 - Do stuff as Celdia said;
5 - When you have the resulting UNIT.BIN, WLDFACE.BIN and WLDFACE4.BIN, launch the FFTPacher again and go to PSP=>Utilities=>Rebuild fftpack.bin... and select your folder;
6 - Finally, just import the resulting fftpack.bin into the .iso, using CDMage.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Astral on June 29, 2011, 09:06:13 am
I personally favor this guide ^_^... very well explained and very helpful!

5/5
or
10/10

or 100/100

Meh
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Diil Fenrir on June 29, 2011, 03:44:17 pm
Really Nice tutorials but I have a problem.

I follow the guide until I open the UNITBIN and the WLDFACE.BIN with the FFTEVGRP But I can see The dark Knight anche the Onion Knight Bmp, Why?

Other thing; I'm working on Alicia, Lavian and Ladd creation, I make for them a special sprite and face, now, I can use an Empty slot for the Face, but where the sprite go? (I used the Melidaul, Rafa and Mustadio Png for all over things but in the Unit.bin there is only a sprite for chara.....)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Cheetah on July 01, 2011, 05:01:10 am
Onion Knight and Dark Knight for the PSP are hidden away in the unknown folder as separate files. I'm sure there is a list of exactly which ones they are somewhere, I'm not sure how replacing them is done.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: PilotSpecter on July 19, 2011, 11:28:53 pm
Hey the tutorial was great everything worked perfectly, except when I wanted to make changes to the color of the sprite. It just kept the original warrior m color. What do I do to keep the colors that I want?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on July 20, 2011, 01:08:25 pm
Can you post the final product you're getting so I can see how its coming out?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: PilotSpecter on July 20, 2011, 06:20:21 pm
So this is the colors that I want.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: PilotSpecter on July 20, 2011, 06:22:14 pm
but this is what i still get
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: RandMuadDib on July 20, 2011, 06:40:15 pm
That is because that program only edits out of battle stuff (including the formation screen right before a battle). For in-battle stuff, you have to use shishis to replace the entire sprite with a new file.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: PilotSpecter on July 21, 2011, 09:02:50 am
How do I do that?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: RandMuadDib on July 21, 2011, 12:04:25 pm
http://ffhacktics.com/tutorials.php?id=2
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on July 21, 2011, 03:24:54 pm
I had a feeling it might've been that. I'm going to update my first post to link to that Shishi tutorial.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Wiz on July 25, 2011, 06:55:32 pm
I know this may seem like spamming, but this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f12qKI6-JsE&fmt=18) should be linked in the OP since it's essentially the video version of this tutorial, which should be stickied imo :cool:
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: plandr on September 18, 2011, 06:04:27 pm
Quote from: Mary Quite Contrary on February 21, 2011, 07:37:48 pm
This is a great guide, I appreciate the work!

I was wondering if you could help me out a bit, though. I'm having this weird problem where CDMage opens my fresh ISO just fine, everything displays properly, no error messages. But after patching sprites with Shishi's, CDMage opens the ISO and gives me a similar (but not the same) error message to the one you mentioned:
(http://i51.tinypic.com/2v9b5tz.jpg)


After that, the ISO loads, but I only have the BATTLE and DUMMY folder.
(http://i53.tinypic.com/14ju3p5.jpg)


I'm pretty careful about following steps (I think!) but I am not sure what might be the problem.

For reference, I'm using CDmage 1.01.5 and the most recent Shishi's downloadable from the front page (Can't seem to find a version on the darn thing).
Edit: Just tested, and even if I don't change any sprites, just opening it in Shishi's and restructuring the ISO seems to result in this.

Edit: Just tried it using a very old version of Shishi's from several years ago, and it works fine. Go figure!!


^^ I'm running into this same problem. The older version of ShiShi allows me to open my files and repack without this happening but then I end up with the problem of not being able to change sprite type or access the three ??? mark sprite types made available in the newer versions.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on September 18, 2011, 10:30:50 pm
I'm afraid I don't have an answer for that one. I've been using Shishi .478 from the get-go and have never seen a limited file tree in CDMage on any version of my projects. Sadly my best suggestion would be to take what you've put together so far and start applying it to a clean ISO and hope you can find away around the error, either in using a different Shishi or using different sprites, assuming those are in fact the problem.

Edit: Went back to look through the thread and I came across something Cheetah asked me near the start.

Quote from: CheetahHave you tried CDProg?


CDProg is an alternative to CDMage. I don't know where to find it since I don't believe its on our front page with the other downloads but if you can locate a copy of it, it may help you in viewing the ISO's file tree correctly. I don't know. Its a shot in the dark.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: plandr on September 19, 2011, 04:33:07 am
Quote from: Celdia on September 18, 2011, 10:30:50 pm
I'm afraid I don't have an answer for that one. I've been using Shishi .478 from the get-go and have never seen a limited file tree in CDMage on any version of my projects. Sadly my best suggestion would be to take what you've put together so far and start applying it to a clean ISO and hope you can find away around the error, either in using a different Shishi or using different sprites, assuming those are in fact the problem.

Edit: Went back to look through the thread and I came across something Cheetah asked me near the start.

CDProg is an alternative to CDMage. I don't know where to find it since I don't believe its on our front page with the other downloads but if you can locate a copy of it, it may help you in viewing the ISO's file tree correctly. I don't know. Its a shot in the dark.


Thanks. My current thought process is that I'm going to replace the faces and pre-battle formation sprites first, THEN import the new sprites on top of the old character.

I.E. first I'll put Aerith's portrait and battle formation sprite in place of the default character I'm overwriting WITHOUT importing the whole Aerith sprite sheet first (thus eliminating the need to rebuild the .ISO for the time being).

Then I'll use shishi to import the Aerith sprite sheet as a whole after I've already changed the battle formation and portrait of the default. Essentially I'm going to do it in the reverse order of what your tutorial says. Do you think that could work?

I mean, it doesn't appear that shishi itself is altering the portrait and battle formation sprite (otherwise what would be the need of the tutorial?), so maybe doing it in reverse could be a solution?

I'll also try the program you recommended if this doesn't work.

Thanks. :)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: plandr on September 19, 2011, 04:41:19 am
That said, perhaps this is something you or someone else has knowledge on? :)

Quote3A   Celia (Never used)   SERIA.SPR   TYPE2   43332   45056
3B   Lede (Never used)   LEDY.SPR   TYPE2   43325   45056
5D   ???   DAMI.SPR   ???   44690   45056
5E   ???   KASANEK.SPR   ???   40516   40960
5F   ???   KASANEM.SPR   ???   40516   40960


^^ Using the ShiShi sprite editor, these are the sprites I'm seeking out to replace. They aren't used by anyone else in the game and as such don't require me to replace existing characters which is ideal to me (so I don't see duplicates of the imported characters during story battles/events).

That said, when I unpack a fresh .ISO file (without using ShiShi I'm able to do this) and use FFTEVGRP to open up the UNIT and WLD .BIN files I don't see any associated sprites with these characters. As such, even if I could successfully follow the tutorial I don't see a clear way to assign a battle formation sprite and portrait to the "free/empty" characters in the game.

Am I just missing something here?

Thanks for any help you can provide. :)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Eternal on September 19, 2011, 05:42:40 am
I'm pretty sure you'd have to use those slots for characters that don't join you, but I'm not 100% sure on how it works.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: plandr on September 19, 2011, 06:40:16 am
Quote from: Eternal248 on September 19, 2011, 05:42:40 am
I'm pretty sure you'd have to use those slots for characters that don't join you, but I'm not 100% sure on how it works.


Okay cool. I'll keep an ear out in that case but if this is the case event editing might be my best option here. :(
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on September 19, 2011, 06:48:04 am
Yeah, FFTEVGRP just isn't equipped to handle formation sprites for those entries it looks like.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Zozma on October 06, 2011, 08:39:11 pm
Quote from: Eternal248 on September 19, 2011, 05:42:40 am
I'm pretty sure you'd have to use those slots for characters that don't join you, but I'm not 100% sure on how it works.


you're wrong. you can reassign a unit.bin sprite to ANY sprite, for example, i assigned the Dancer unit.bin sprite to celia and lede's :)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Argy on December 19, 2011, 04:17:50 pm
Thank you Celdia, for your cracking tutorial!! Absolutely brilliant, nothing better than running around as Vincent Valentine for Ramza!! Oh yes... for all 4 chapters!! Skillset update now!! Go you mighty Hellmasker!!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Tony75 on March 01, 2012, 12:34:15 am
Does my game have to be a bin file ? I think it is ISO and I can't get this to work .
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on March 01, 2012, 12:54:05 am
no, your game will work fine with iso, if its not working correctly then your doing it wrong :/ make sure to follow every step and detail exactly, I have used this method on my own Jot5 mod, which is both .bin and .iso and I've also used it on Kokojo's CoP mod which is on a .img
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Zetaro on May 27, 2012, 02:58:24 am
alright its good but what about the sprites that dont have formation sprites like reis's dragon form? you cant replace something that is not there.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on May 27, 2012, 03:01:37 am
Quote from: Zetaro on May 27, 2012, 02:58:24 am
alright its good but what about the sprites that dont have formation sprites like reis's dragon form? you cant replace something that is not there.


She is there, you are looking in the wrong place and replacing the wrong dragon
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Zetaro on May 27, 2012, 03:19:37 am
im sorry to be a bother but i dont see her. even in the dragon palettes i still dont see her.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on May 27, 2012, 03:46:33 am
You need the japanese version found in this post

http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=407.0#msg163380

go down to the dragon and there will be a forth palette labeled S
This is the palette used for Reis (Dragon)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Zetaro on May 27, 2012, 04:04:05 am
alright i see it now thank you!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: TragicHero on June 05, 2012, 06:15:05 am
Okay. So I've done every single step right until the very last one where I'm supposed to right click on UNIT.bin, WLDFACE.bin and WLDFACE4.bin and import the files.  But I don't have that option at all...(see picture).  What am I doing wrong?

(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/cmauffray1/CDMage.png)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on June 05, 2012, 08:00:16 am
Doesn't look like you're doing anything wrong in that picture, but your CDMage does look a little different from mine, thought that appears to just be the Sector Browser. I run version 1.02.1 so if you're on a different version maybe that could be part of the issue.  The only time Import File doesn't show up on my right-click menu is when I have more than one file selected. Nothing else comes to mind.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: TragicHero on June 05, 2012, 08:53:22 am
ahh, yep i just had the wrong version of CDMage.  thanks a bunch!! 

fantastic guide, btw.  i'm not very bright and i followed it to a t.  :)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on June 05, 2012, 06:11:34 pm
Quote from: TragicHero on June 05, 2012, 08:53:22 am
fantastic guide, btw. 


Thank you. I try. ^_^
Title: Help!
Post by: LuneFencer on July 07, 2012, 01:17:26 pm
Currently im stuck at step 2, somehow i cant open unit.bin and wildface via fftevgrp i extract it to the same folder of the FFT iso but still i cant open it, help me please :( here is the screen shot

Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on July 07, 2012, 03:09:50 pm
What happens when you go to File -> Open -> Unit.bin, then select Unit.bin?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: makennedy on July 30, 2012, 01:05:55 am
i made a thread on this but it seems you guys would be an excellent choice to directly ask. i followed the steps in the tutorial to insert the in-battle sprites (seems like a very simple process). they work fairly well but attack option don't appear correct and the portraits won't appear. when tryin to insert them on the couple in question (it's only a select few that are giving me problems) i get the truncated error messege(file size too large). the "types" match, any idea what caused the error and how to fix it?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on July 30, 2012, 02:31:50 am
@makennedy: I've been needing to remove the link to that sprite importing tutorial for a while now. It's out of date and we have a much more user-friendly tool in Shishi that let's you just load in a BMP or SPR file without issue to your ISO directly and even lets you see how it all looks right there. If you haven't grabbed the tool pack here http://ffhacktics.com/downloads.php?id=29 yet, do so and grab a clean ISO. Open it with Shishi, scroll down the list to the unit you want to replace and then just use the Import SPR function to overwrite it with the new sprite. Its all very easy and mostly self-explanitory. If the arms on the sprite look weird in when looking at the animations for it, just swap the Type 1 <-> Type 2 settings near the bottom-center of the Shishi window. You may need to close and re-open Shishi after changing the sprite type to check the animation again depending on what version of it you use.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: makennedy on July 30, 2012, 05:34:17 am
that worked perfectly!!! the new shishi made it work perfectly, i can preview stuff, and the whole process is way faster/simpler. good call
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: jajer3 on August 06, 2012, 03:56:27 am
Quote from: Celdia on July 30, 2012, 02:31:50 am
@makennedy: I've been needing to remove the link to that sprite importing tutorial for a while now. It's out of date and we have a much more user-friendly tool in Shishi that let's you just load in a BMP or SPR file without issue to your ISO directly and even lets you see how it all looks right there. If you haven't grabbed the tool pack here http://ffhacktics.com/downloads.php?id=29 yet, do so and grab a clean ISO. Open it with Shishi, scroll down the list to the unit you want to replace and then just use the Import SPR function to overwrite it with the new sprite. Its all very easy and mostly self-explanitory. If the arms on the sprite look weird in when looking at the animations for it, just swap the Type 1 <-> Type 2 settings near the bottom-center of the Shishi window. You may need to close and re-open Shishi after changing the sprite type to check the animation again depending on what version of it you use.


I'm having a problem, does this method only change the in battle sprite and portrait? Can I somehow change the formation screen sprite with this? I'm sorry if you've already answered/explained this somewhere. If so I am unable to locate it.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Robrain on October 24, 2012, 01:18:40 pm
Quote from: plandr on September 19, 2011, 04:41:19 am
That said, perhaps this is something you or someone else has knowledge on? :)

^^ Using the ShiShi sprite editor, these are the sprites I'm seeking out to replace. They aren't used by anyone else in the game and as such don't require me to replace existing characters which is ideal to me (so I don't see duplicates of the imported characters during story battles/events).

That said, when I unpack a fresh .ISO file (without using ShiShi I'm able to do this) and use FFTEVGRP to open up the UNIT and WLD .BIN files I don't see any associated sprites with these characters. As such, even if I could successfully follow the tutorial I don't see a clear way to assign a battle formation sprite and portrait to the "free/empty" characters in the game.

Am I just missing something here?

Thanks for any help you can provide. :)


Quote from: Eternal on September 19, 2011, 05:42:40 am
I'm pretty sure you'd have to use those slots for characters that don't join you, but I'm not 100% sure on how it works.


Quote from: Zozma on October 06, 2011, 08:39:11 pm
you're wrong. you can reassign a unit.bin sprite to ANY sprite, for example, i assigned the Dancer unit.bin sprite to celia and lede's :)


Back on Page 2 Zozma stated that there was a way to reassign a UNIT.BIN sprite to ANY sprite.  However, he left no details on how to accomplish this.  I've just hit the same wall as plandr - I was utilizing some of the unused jobs / sprites to create a new job class without destroying any of the ones that are used in the game.  They work fine in battle, but they don't have any corresponding formations sprites/portraits.

Does anyone know what Zozma was referring to in his above quote?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: RavenOfRazgriz on October 24, 2012, 01:32:31 pm
http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=7271.0

* - UWEntries Editor Sheet by Glain: Allows you to edit which Jobs are associated with which WLDFACE/etc entries.  Pretty simple, really.  It's included here mostly because I added it to my personal copy of my workbooks that I keep as a base for ease of use, but if he doesn't want it included in my workbook set, I'll remove it.  :v
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Robrain on October 24, 2012, 06:21:33 pm
Many thanks to both you and Pride in the chat, who provided me with the following link:

http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=7833.0

I'm taking this one step at a time, so this will be my first foray into FFTorgASM.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Glain on October 24, 2012, 11:35:20 pm
For the record, I think it's fine to have UWEntries included in your workbook set, Raven.  Might be easier to organize a lot of that stuff in one place.  If someone only wants the UWEntries spreadsheet specifically, they can just get it from the thread.
Title: Short Cuts & Useful Tips
Post by: SapphireFlames on November 01, 2012, 08:11:55 am
Wow, I spent almost 10 hours trying to figure this stuff out but anyway. After much trial and error, perseverance and patience, I have discovered some very useful tricks that will help expedite your extraction and rendition process with sprites when modifying UNIT.bin and WRLD FACE.bin. I'll lay it out step by step.

[For Human UNIT.bin]
Step 1: Open Shishi Sprite Manager, Microsoft Paint (Optional), and Graphics Gale (I used Free Edition).
Step 2: Select a character you wish to modify. For the purposes of this example, I will select Ramza Chapter 1.
Step 3: From Shishi Sprite Manager, open your FFT ISO.
Step 4: When open, go to Ramza 1 (should be the very first one).
Step 5: Assuming you have not replaced Ramza 1 with your designated sprite, do so now (I chose Young Noble Ramza).
Step 6: From Shishi, go to Export BMP and Export the now modified Ramza 1 sprite.
Step 7: Open Graphics Gale and open the now Exported BMP file for Ramza 1 (we'll call it RAMZA1.bmp).
Step 8: You will notice it will have a spread sheet of the different parts of Ramza and such. Zoom in about 300-400% to the SECOND frame from the top left of Ramza. It should be him basically facing sideways or at an angle.
Ramza 9: Use the 'Rectangular Selection' tool to draw a 24 x 40 square around Ramza. It does not need to be absolutely perfect but be sure you get it as close as you can, and, of course, that he's completely inside the box. Otherwise he will be cut out.
Ramza 10: Once a Rectangle has been made around Ramza, go to the 'All Frames' tab and from there select "CROP". Doing so should give you a perfect Ramza sprite for the UNIT.bin without having to deal with the annoying Load Palette stuff. Save it as RAMZA2Body.bmp.

Note: If, for some reason, the FFTEVGRP program does not recognize the sprite or allow it due to it exceeding 16 bytes, you may need to manually alter its palette. To do so, I recommend you first go to Palette Window and click on the black arrow pointing down to open up a menu. From the menu, select "REMOVE UNUSED COLOR". This will eliminate whatever excess colors that are not being used in the BMP. From there go to "All Frames" and go to "Color Depth." From there, format the BMP to 4bpp (16 colors) [Type A]. If, for some reason, Dither is checked uncheck it. There should be a 16 in the option box. If it is not 16, change it.

[For Human WRLD FACE.bin, Portrait]
Step 11: Go back to Shishi Sprite and use the "Print Screen" feature on your keyboard to get a copy of your screen (should be showing the portrait of Ramza).
Step 12: Paste it into Microsoft Paint (alternatively, you could just use Graphics Gale but it's a bit easier to do it through MS Paint).
Step 13: With your Square Selection tool, draw a rectangle at the very bottom where Ramza's face is. I suggest you zoom in 400% to get an accurate capture. It must be precise. Be sure ALL of Ramza's face is selected. There should be no extra pixels. You will see why later.
Step 14: Copy, and Paste. A duplicate of the file should appear hovering on the screen.
Step 15: Go to 'Crop' and crop the file so that nothing else is there but just the file. Rotate the file Left/Counterclockwise as it will likely be horizontal.
Step 16: Now that you have an original copy of your port. Save it just in case you screw up as Ramza1Port.bmp (24 bytes).
Step 17: With Graphics Gale, click on "File" and open a New file. It will give you options to use either a preset or use whatever is default. I highly recommend you make a new preset if you wish to extract multiple portraits. It'll save you time. Either way, click on 'Preset'. It'll open a drop down menu.
Step 18: Click on "EDIT" and "Add". Type in the dimensions 32 x 48 with a BPP of 16 (64000 colors). The portrait must fit EXACTLY in this dimension or you will risk having a wonky portrait.
Step 19: After you're done, it'll open up a blank slot. Copy and paste your picture there.
Step 20: You will notice you cannot Delete the excess colors. That's okay, you don't need to. Just go to "All Frames" -> "Color Depth" -> "16bpp." This will give your port the correct color resolution without having to use/abuse load palette.

I'll upload a guide for monsters tomorrow-- specifically chocobos on how to extract Ports and Units. It's a lot trickier and tedious than humans seeing how you the Palettes MUST match for it to be read by FFTEVGRP. Otherwise you risk having strangely colored monsters.

Well, good night for all. My first contribution to FFHacktics. I hope that helps!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: AzureSana on November 06, 2012, 10:04:47 pm
Terrific tutorial Celdia! This really helped me out~  :D
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: en4cer1133 on November 10, 2012, 10:36:59 pm
I am using the current version of the tool package provided earlier in this tutorial, but when I try to replace a sprite using the new method (Sprite->Import SPR)  I am getting an error that is saying: "the sprite size is 44453 bytes.  The max size is 43008 bytes." and fails to import the sprite.  I look at the file sizes of each file (old sprite and new sprite I am wanting to use) in Graphic Gale, and they are the same... am I doing anything wrong?  I am using the toolkit FFTPatcher suite ver. 0.482 v2, and trying to replace the cloud sprite with the advent children version from the sprites download section for use on the PSP WotL if that helps clarify my situation.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Caen on August 08, 2013, 10:49:55 pm
Quote from: Zozma on October 06, 2011, 08:39:11 pm
you're wrong. you can reassign a unit.bin sprite to ANY sprite, for example, i assigned the Dancer unit.bin sprite to celia and lede's :)
how do you do that..? i mean i can't seem to find celia and lede (never used) sprites in unit.bin... :(
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on August 08, 2013, 11:08:49 pm
That post was made in 2011...

You can overwrite any sprite in the unit.bin.

You can also reassign them with the UWEntries (or however its spelled) program
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: DarthFutuza on February 26, 2018, 11:47:53 am
Hello.  I've lurked for a long time.  I found this tutorial helpful and thought it a shame the original's images are hosted by photobucket and thus no longer show up.  I've taken the liberty of rehosting the images from the topic post here:

(https://i.imgur.com/9hRtQrv.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/eVnXqXy.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fAonh9y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pLAvZFh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/TtCXNEb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7UgnB6y.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FQZF9I5.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/nDZaXIc.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/3icGmAz.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/LeZLZgx.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/cxzpQ8b.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/39AC52U.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/dezEKfx.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/wYbdRDC.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/k6oD7AP.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/D1odfQh.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/WRkBTwX.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/NEeZlcm.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ypmKdxt.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/7SViIep.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ti1D3VP.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/qRrHNkQ.png)


Maybe a mod would consider editing the original post?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on February 26, 2018, 02:30:13 pm
I will edit the post in a few days, just moved and dealing with some issues in that currently.

Though I should also add, with the latest FFTP, you can do this all with shishi, eliminating the need for FFTEVGRP altogether
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Aiolon on February 26, 2018, 07:16:59 pm
Please correct me if im mistaken and i hope i am but FFTVGRP is still needed to import the portraits of monsters with different palettes.
shishi allows us to import UNIT.BIN monster palettes one by one but thats not the case for portraits or atleast i couldn't find a way to do it with shishi :/
of course this is only the case if people wants to add custom monsters and make them recruitable.

also, RIP CDmage and
FUCK PHOTOBUCKET and their greedy updates
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on February 26, 2018, 10:52:57 pm
Quote from: Aiolon on February 26, 2018, 07:16:59 pm
Please correct me if im mistaken and i hope i am but FFTVGRP is still needed to import the portraits of monsters with different palettes.
shishi allows us to import UNIT.BIN monster palettes one by one but thats not the case for portraits or atleast i couldn't find a way to do it with shishi :/
of course this is only the case if people wants to add custom monsters and make them recruitable.

also, RIP CDmage and
FUCK PHOTOBUCKET and their greedy updates



I've not checked. But if shish can export them with all 3 palettes in 1 image then it should import the same way.

Also, CDMage isn't great unless you need to truncate something on import. Use CDProg instead
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: DarthFutuza on February 28, 2018, 12:55:43 pm
Quote from: Elric on February 26, 2018, 02:30:13 pm
I will edit the post in a few days, just moved and dealing with some issues in that currently.

Though I should also add, with the latest FFTP, you can do this all with shishi, eliminating the need for FFTEVGRP altogether

Thanks.  If that's true, maybe I should just write a new tutorial with the latest method in that case, (though I haven't tried using Shishi to do FFTEVGRP's job yet) given how out of date this one is.  Seems a lot of the tools have changed etc and the tutorials haven't quite kept up.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on April 06, 2018, 08:30:25 am
Even though its apparently wickedly out of date, I fixed the first post anyways. Thanks, Darth, for rehosting those images. Made super quick work of it.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: 3lric on April 06, 2018, 10:17:06 am
Quote from: Celdia on April 06, 2018, 08:30:25 am
Even though its apparently wickedly out of date, I fixed the first post anyways. Thanks, Darth, for rehosting those images. Made super quick work of it.


Mostly because you can do this in shishi now. No need to evgrp or any of that jazz anymore
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Celdia on April 08, 2018, 02:00:44 pm
I realize that if I ever decided to work on a new project, I'd have to relearn how to do everything from scratch again with all the updates in the past years. :D
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Eternal on April 08, 2018, 10:10:14 pm
Elric, which version of Shishi? 492?

EDIT: So it is. Very nice!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: chaosflarz on April 18, 2018, 09:23:34 am
Hi I have a question.

Tried doing this with the youtube guide but it doesnt seem to be working, i am pretty sure i editted with graphic gale correctly and save the correct files and CD mage it back into the ISO UNIT.BIN WILDFACE.BIN and WILDFACE4.bin

Attaching the screenshots of the result happening in my FFTEVGRP.

I am using a emulator on PC PSXE and i have tried to gameshark the values 3A ( CELIA unused class) to get into the new sprite class, upon turning on the ISO, the potrait and sprite still remains celia , while the shishi editor works changing my sprite when i enter into battle.

Any help and advice will be appreciated pls. Thanks!

EDIT*** I think i found the solution after googling and looking up other people tutorial, so apparently the SHISHI Editor 3A values is not the same and doesn't correspond with WILDFACE.BIN and UNIT.BIN 3A values, for e.g seeing how some1 editing a Summoner class on Sprite editor the value is 67 , and UNITBIN value is 20 and WILDFACE.BIN Value is 21, what i did was to edit all the 3A values since i thought they corresponded. If that's the case how do i tell which 3 sets of values/numbers would then work together?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: RavenCurow on April 18, 2018, 10:00:29 pm
You can use the UWentries spreadsheet to change which jobs corrispond to which entries in the unit and wldface bins then patch it with FFTorgASM
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: chaosflarz on April 19, 2018, 09:00:07 am
Thanks, i tried dlding the wentries spreadsheet, from : http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=7833.0 thread

1 question is that when i open the spreaadsheet it says to edit only the yellow highlighted TAB, which is per entry, but from what i know wildface and unit.bin values don't match for e.g a certain class can be 001 for unit.bin and 002 for wildface.bin.

2nd question is what does it mean to copy the XML tab into a .xml file? haven;t really use FFTORGASM before how do i actually convert the spreadsheet and patch it ?

EDIT** : hey thanks a bunch got it working already, didn't know patching with FForgasm could be tht easy.. btw is 08 and 09 the only untouched values to mod? is there other values which are safe to use?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: RavenCurow on April 20, 2018, 03:27:44 am
IIRC 12 and 17 in the unit bin are also safe as those models are never used. Not sure on 17 though since that is Teta's portrait location as well.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: dgcool on October 01, 2018, 06:32:11 pm
I hope someone can still help with this (PSP version): I just went through the whole process of changing sprites with ShiShi and then doing the fftpack (FFTEVGRP+CDMAGE) pack/repacking. Now I see all the correct sprites in combat AND in the unit selection screen but NOT in the formation/character overview area. Any ideas? Thank you!!
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Nyzer on October 01, 2018, 09:17:00 pm
Shishi now edits formation sprites too. IIRC just check the second tab for 'em.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: DarthFutuza on November 27, 2018, 07:52:05 pm
Quote from: Celdia on April 06, 2018, 08:30:25 am
Even though its apparently wickedly out of date, I fixed the first post anyways. Thanks, Darth, for rehosting those images. Made super quick work of it.

I realize that if I ever decided to work on a new project, I'd have to relearn how to do everything from scratch again with all the updates in the past years. :D

Of course. :D
I may have to review how to do this again myself, its been too long since I've tried to make custom sprites.

Quote from: dgcool on October 01, 2018, 06:32:11 pm
I hope someone can still help with this (PSP version): I just went through the whole process of changing sprites with ShiShi and then doing the fftpack (FFTEVGRP+CDMAGE) pack/repacking. Now I see all the correct sprites in combat AND in the unit selection screen but NOT in the formation/character overview area. Any ideas? Thank you!!

Its been a while, but it sounds like you didn't do the UNIT.bin WRLDFCE.bin stuff in order to have the new sprite show up in the formation and battle screen menus.  Did you follow the tutorial on the first page, it should still work - I just went through and did it with Meliadoul no problem.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Pedro Henrike on December 02, 2018, 08:57:31 am
Does CDmage only open the FFT PSX? Because I try to open WotL to get the folder "Events" but the following error appears: File Length does not match sector boundary. (And I've tried opening it anyway in CDmage ...

I noticed that in FFTEVGRP does not have all the sprites, as in Shishi, this means that if we change some character in the story and recrute him in the future, when we enter the formation, he is with the image of Ramza, and only becomes normal Sprite that we put) during the battle ... What to do about these?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Xifanie on December 02, 2018, 10:39:36 pm
We need to make one thing clear: Which version are you modding?

Because:
- You say PSP
- Your profile says PSX
- You create topics both in the PSX (even today) and WotL sections
- You try to use a lot of tools that are only meant for the PSX version

Not to mention that this tutorial is pretty useless now since you can just use Shishi to directly edit the UNIT.BIN and WLDFACE.BIN files. This should be possible for WotL as well... though I forgot if someone managed to change the links between spritesheets and UNIT.BIN or not for WotL. Safest bet is to use a spritesheet that is linked to an unused UNIT.BIN slot (like one of the few unused priests) and use that spritesheet slot for your unit. Though I have to say I can't recall which spritesheets are associated to those, sorry.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Jin on January 07, 2019, 04:48:51 pm
It is so hard for me becase my english is not good. I dont unserstand at all. I really want sephiroth, shadow, beatrix, tifa
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: darkskyx on January 26, 2021, 03:05:16 am
I have a few questions, I wanna change Squire models but there are so many... I need to change all? I don't know if there are there because they are IA models or what. And maybe bugs will happen so I don't know what to do (I have warnings in Shishi).
Alternatively, I want to make a Squire that "evolves" into another unit (or maybe just let them be Squires at the tutorial of the game). I don't know if that is possible.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Jumza on January 26, 2021, 10:57:57 am
Quote from: darkskyx on January 26, 2021, 03:05:16 amI have a few questions, I wanna change Squire models but there are so many... I need to change all?

In Shishi the only squire's you need to change to effect generics are the one's listed near Chemist (#'s 60 and 61) (all the other one's are just duplicates once you've expanded your ISO with Shishi).

In Shishi's Other Images tab where you can now edit Unit.Bin and Wldface.bin (to edit formation screen sprites) they do not have duplicates so it's more straightforward.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: darkskyx on March 05, 2021, 01:48:54 pm
Quote from: Jumza on January 26, 2021, 10:57:57 amIn Shishi the only squire's you need to change to effect generics are the one's listed near Chemist (#'s 60 and 61) (all the other one's are just duplicates once you've expanded your ISO with Shishi).

In Shishi's Other Images tab where you can now edit Unit.Bin and Wldface.bin (to edit formation screen sprites) they do not have duplicates so it's more straightforward.

Okay, thanks. I don't know if I'd do that because seems hard to me (I saw tutorials and I didn't understand well the process, but I'll try to learn).
Anyway, I wanna make one more question because I had a weird idea:

Is there any way to make a unit "transform" using an ability? I mean, there are boss models that can transform so I thought it would be possible to make that possible. I thought of making Squire a Paladin so maybe instead of just change it like that I can use a skill and other Job to give the model skills and new stats. I know this might be harder to make & surely would be possible writing new code but I had to ask.  If I could do that without I'd use the model (& stats) of Wiegraf (maybe Loffrey if I don't find any good custom).
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Nyzer on March 28, 2021, 01:27:46 pm
No. The bosses "transform" by switching positions with another unit in the event. You can't give generics special jobs, either.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Nyzer on June 27, 2022, 05:11:42 pm
March 16, 2020: This tutorial was outdated thanks to updates to Shishi that allow it to access the UNIT and WLDFACE images.

I just finished updating it, but here's the outdated version of it just in case I missed anything crucial when I reworked it.



Now this is something I know there have been a lot of requests for, including from myself back in the day.
Well as the saying goes, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." and that is what I've aimed for here.
Just so there's no confusion: Images will be posted ABOVE the text referring to them. If a picture doesn't make
sense on its own, scroll down and read a bit.

Here's the list of programs you'll need for importing new formation sprites: Shishi Sprite Editor, Graphics Gale, FFTEVGRP, CDMage
This tutorial will start by assuming you have already replaced the sprite in your  ISO with Shishi. If you haven't done that already,
do so.

Ready? Okay, good. You made sure to set the new sprite's SHP and SEQ to the proper Type for the new sprite, right? I'll wait.

(https://i.imgur.com/9hRtQrv.png)

Okay, for this tutorial we'll be replacing the Male Monk with Vanya's Spikey Warrior custom sprite.

(https://i.imgur.com/eVnXqXy.jpg)

Step 1: Open your ISO (or BIN or what have you) in CDMage (as "M2/2352 track" - nothing else seems to work for me).
(https://i.imgur.com/fAonh9y.jpg)
If you do get an error as in the image above, just click Yes. This has never caused an issue for me and it frequently happens.
(https://i.imgur.com/pLAvZFh.jpg)
Locate the EVENT folder, scroll to the bottom and right-click UNIT.BIN and select Extract Files. Repeat this process for WLDFACE.BIN.

(https://i.imgur.com/TtCXNEb.jpg)
Step 2: Open UNIT.BIN and WLDFACE.BIN in FFTEVGRP. This is pretty self-explanitory, I hope. Here's a picture just in case.
Each one will be accessible through their own tabs at the top-left of the window once opened.

(https://i.imgur.com/7UgnB6y.jpg)
Step 3: Find the sprite you're replacing on the list in FFTEVGRP and use the Save BMP function.
(Its possible that this step may be redundant but I find it is the most effective way to get an image
file that FFTEVGRP will accept for Import later.)
(https://i.imgur.com/FQZF9I5.png)
I always just save them as the default filename FFTEVGRP creates for them as you can see here.

(https://i.imgur.com/nDZaXIc.png)
Step 4: Close CDMage (if you haven't already) and open your ISO in Shishi (Note: Failure to close CDMage
or Shishi when trying to load your ISO into the other program will give you an error.) 
Load up the sprite you have already replaced in the ISO with Shishi and take a screenshot with PrntScrn.
Also if you do not have your new sprite saved in BMP format, select Export As BMP from the menu and save
the sprite into a new file. (Yeah, this probably didn't need an image but I'm being thorough.)

(https://i.imgur.com/3icGmAz.png)
Step 5: Open Graphics Gale and create a new image. Paste your screenshot into this new image. This is
where we will get the graphics for the new formation screen. Just keep it open for later.

(https://i.imgur.com/LeZLZgx.png)
Step 6: Open the exported UNIT and WLDFACE images you got from FFTEVGRP in Graphics Gale. I like to zoom
these images up a bit to make lining up things for editing easier.

(https://i.imgur.com/cxzpQ8b.png)
Step 7: Now we're going to load the color palettes for the new formation sprites. If you don't have a Palette window
open in Graphics Gale already you can get one by going up to View > Palette. In the Palette window click the little
underlined down-arrow and select Load Palette.
(https://i.imgur.com/39AC52U.png)
Next, click the File button and choose Import From File. This is why we exported the new sprite from Shishi as a BMP.
(https://i.imgur.com/dezEKfx.png)
Open that BMP file and you will get a new window with a whole bunch of little colored tiles. On the left are the palettes
from the BMP you opened. On the right is the palette for the image you're editing, be it the unit or the portrait.
The top 8 rows are the unit palettes while the bottom 8 are portrait palettes. Drag and highlight the top row of colors
from the one you're editing, unit or portrait, and then click the left-most tile on the right. This will replace the entire
palette.
(https://i.imgur.com/wYbdRDC.png)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The 'Match pixels with colors' checkbox must be flagged (default) for portraits and must be
UNFLAGGED for the unit palette. If you don't get this right your images will look all wonky. I can't count how many
times I messed this up before I realized what the problem was.
(https://i.imgur.com/k6oD7AP.png)
Once you've got your new palette loaded to the tiles on the right, click OK and you should see a change in your image.
Repeat this process for both the unit and portrait images and we'll move on.

(https://i.imgur.com/D1odfQh.png)
Step 8: Now this is where we need that screenshot of Shishi. with the new palettes loaded into the UNIT and
WLDFACE images we can now just copy and paste the sprites from the spritesheet and they will look correct. The unit
sprite is easy enough but the portrait will need to be rotated counter-clockwise 90 degrees. Once again, zoom is applied
for ease of editing.
(https://i.imgur.com/WRkBTwX.png)
Just grab that little box attached to the line once you've selected the portrait area and drag it up and left until everything
looks nice and aligned.
(https://i.imgur.com/NEeZlcm.png)
Then Copy from the spritesheet and paste over the old portrait. Now save your modified UNIT and WLDFACE images.

(https://i.imgur.com/ypmKdxt.png)
Step 9: Back to FFTEVGRP. If you followed all the steps thusfar there should be no errors here. Simply select Import BMP
and load up your UNIT and WLDFACE images. Note the blue exclamation points on the tabs for the different files.
(https://i.imgur.com/7SViIep.png)
These indicate unsaved changes. To save, just click the Save File button in the bottom right on each tab. You will also
want to click Save WLDFACE4.BIN (I have no idea what this file does, honestly, but I create and import it to my ISO
everytime and everything works so I continue to do so. If someone knows if this is redundant, let me know.)

(https://i.imgur.com/Ti1D3VP.png)
Step 10: If you still have Shishi open, close it and re-open your ISO in CDMage just like in Step 1. You'll want to do
much the same as you did in Step 2 except now we'll be using the Import File function from the right-click menu. Do this
for UNIT.BIN, WLDFACE.BIN and the new WLDFACE4.BIN.


(https://i.imgur.com/qRrHNkQ.png)
That's it! Close CDMage, load up your ISO and check out the new formation sprite!

Happy hacking! ^_^

(Thank you to DarthFutuza for rehosting the tutorial images, even if the whole thing is greatly out of date.)
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: darkskyx on September 07, 2022, 12:19:24 am
Quote from: Nyzer on March 28, 2021, 01:27:46 pmNo. The bosses "transform" by switching positions with another unit in the event. You can't give generics special jobs, either.
Oh, I see... Thanks for your answer, I tought it was not possible but I had to ask.

But what about adding new custom units using all or some of the unused units? Read this quote from FFT wiki:

Quote from: undefinedThere are quite a few job classes that are unused in battle (...) More information on these jobs can be found in their respected articles; Cardinal (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Alphonse_Delacroix), Duke (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Druksmald_Goltanna), Duke (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Bestrald_Larg), Elder (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Simon_Penn-Lachish), False Saint (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Ajora_Glabados), Grand Duke (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Gerrith_Barrington), High Confessor (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Marcel_Funebris), Viscount (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Ludovich_Baert), and Witch of the Coven (https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Witch_of_the_Coven).
Simon and Valmafra are unit that are free to use to safe changes, they have their sprite in WLDFACE.BIN and the rest of the units have their sprite in WLDFACE4.BIN... I think it should be possible to add all those units with the help of Sishi Manager, or I'm missing something? It's hardcoded?

The only reason I can think of why people do not use those units it's because everything that is binded to WLDFACE4.BIN maybe you are not allowed to see the sprites in your formation menu or maybe you can't even recruit those units, as those units are all enemies.
But then the solution would be swap those unused units with enemy units that are in WLDFACE.BIN. Example: Olan (guest units can work too but events need to be changed, I guess). I didn't test it but I think it should work. I've seen comments about it from some people but I don't know if it'll work correctly.
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: jalovitrue on August 20, 2023, 04:29:03 am
Hi, sorry to post so late about the topic, I just learned this yesterday and successfully modded the sprite of 8 jobs.

My problem is, when I opened a job in Sprites tab, there's a red text saying it shares an SPR with some other models. Let's just say Male Knight. I modified the obvious choice which is 64, and since it is shared with 3D Male Knight, the 3D also changed (I changed it to Zack sprite).

In game, it successfully shows Zack in roster and battle. Now here's the problem, the generic enemy Male Knights are also changed into Zack, but all black! I haven't gotten too far into the game, so I just encountered only 2 of the 8 jobs I modded, which is Male Knight and Female Summoner.

How do I remove this problem? Did I mod the wrong number, or are there extra steps needed for numbers that are shared between numerous jobs?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: darkskyx on August 28, 2023, 04:10:22 pm
Quote from: jalovitrue on August 20, 2023, 04:29:03 amHi, sorry to post so late about the topic, I just learned this yesterday and successfully modded the sprite of 8 jobs.

My problem is, when I opened a job in Sprites tab, there's a red text saying it shares an SPR with some other models. Let's just say Male Knight. I modified the obvious choice which is 64, and since it is shared with 3D Male Knight, the 3D also changed (I changed it to Zack sprite).

In game, it successfully shows Zack in roster and battle. Now here's the problem, the generic enemy Male Knights are also changed into Zack, but all black! I haven't gotten too far into the game, so I just encountered only 2 of the 8 jobs I modded, which is Male Knight and Female Summoner.

How do I remove this problem? Did I mod the wrong number, or are there extra steps needed for numbers that are shared between numerous jobs?

If you modify for example a Knight of course enemies will become new units of that character, because you are modifying generic units!!! If you want to create a unique character, don't use generic characters.
You need to modify UNIQUE units to basically delete those from the game (you can move those units elsewhere to create space in another spritesheet).
In the PSP version I recommend Olan (so simple to be changed), Valmafra, Argath-Deathknight-, Archaic Demon (for a monster). Also I'm trying to modify Holy Dragon (it is a normal Dragon) to put there Archaic Demon and I'm not sure about Serpentarius, since it is a boss, but you can technically use it as you can have it in the formation. There are other units like Simon that appear in cutscenes. In the PSP is not simple to modify units since ASM hacks are not made for that version. The most important thing is having those units in the formation.
If you modify units like Goltanna, Simon... keep in mind that you will have wrong cutscenes so you need to modify those cutscenes with new text and new animations or your scene will look wrong. And don't forget that if you remove units you will basically need to modify events too (ENTD mainly).
And technically you can, for example, remove guests sprites, but again... PSP limitations. You'll end up with a wrong portrait or something like that and in the ENTD editing you won't have it easy to link your unit there.

This is included in my post about FAQ for WoTL hacking: https://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=12942.0
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: jalovitrue on August 31, 2023, 04:27:45 am
Quote from: darkskyx on August 28, 2023, 04:10:22 pmIf you modify for example a Knight of course enemies will become new units of that character, because you are modifying generic units!!! If you want to create a unique character, don't use generic characters.
You need to modify UNIQUE units to basically delete those from the game (you can move those units elsewhere to create space in another spritesheet).
In the PSP version I recommend Olan (so simple to be changed), Valmafra, Argath-Deathknight-, Archaic Demon (for a monster). Also I'm trying to modify Holy Dragon (it is a normal Dragon) to put there Archaic Demon and I'm not sure about Serpentarius, since it is a boss, but you can technically use it as you can have it in the formation. There are other units like Simon that appear in cutscenes. In the PSP is not simple to modify units since ASM hacks are not . The most important thing is having those units in the formation.
If you modify units like Goltanna, Simon... keep in mind that you will have wrong cutscenes so you need to modify those cutscenes with new text and new animations or your scene will look wrong. And don't forget that if you remove units you will basically need to modify events too (ENTD mainly).
And technically you can, for example, remove guests sprites, but again... PSP limitations. You'll end up with a wrong portrait or something like that and in the ENTD editing you won't have it easy to link your unit there.

This is included in my post about FAQ for WoTL hacking: https://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=12942.0
Ahh I see, yeah I was trying to find the most relatable jobs for my unique sprites, like a Samurai for Sephiroth (the katana), I was trying to do a FF7 theme.
All that you mentioned... seem like more hassle than it's worth, so I guess a few black sprites for ordinary job is alright, I guess...
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: darkskyx on September 02, 2023, 06:27:14 pm
Quote from: jalovitrue on August 31, 2023, 04:27:45 amAhh I see, yeah I was trying to find the most relatable jobs for my unique sprites, like a Samurai for Sephiroth (the katana), I was trying to do a FF7 theme.
All that you mentioned... seem like more hassle than it's worth, so I guess a few black sprites for ordinary job is alright, I guess...
Maybe you want to play a hackmod with a lot of FF characters instead doing it yourself. I recently fixed a hackmod of some user who precisely did that. If you want to play that kind of hackmod, check the next link. I'm not sure if that project is finished but here you have the link https://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=12287.msg232599#msg232599
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: keisuke on October 20, 2023, 04:30:22 am
Could you please tell me how to change the formation sprite with the latest Shish?
Title: Re: Importing Custom Formation Sprites and Portraits [Warning! Image Heavy Post!]
Post by: Nyzer on October 20, 2023, 10:04:21 pm
Quote from: keisuke on October 20, 2023, 04:30:22 amCould you please tell me how to change the formation sprite with the latest Shish?

I updated this very tutorial less than a year and a half ago to be current with the latest Shishi.