MOD WORKSHOP - PORTRAIT
This section contain lots of info and tips on how you can modify certain objects in the game. There's plenty of other reasons why you want to modify this game. Probably you find the game too tough to handle so you want to modify the game to make it easier. You might also find that certain dialogue in the game are too offensive to read so you want to change it to more appropriate tone. You might also want to personalize this game to higher level by including your portrait or voice on the game. So get ready to work. It can be tough but the reward is well worth the effort.
As you played the game, you might be wondering if you can somehow be able to modify some portraits on the game. Maybe those portraits was a little bit ugly ( it hurts my feeling saying this ) or you want add your portrait? Yes, you can do that!
But first you need to get yourself some image editor that can do layer processing such as GIMP or Paint.net. If you have never use image editor before, take some time to learn how to use it before you can proceed.
But before you do any modification, always remember to backup the file you want to modify. The easiest way to do is to copy the file from interface folder to data folder. That way if you don't like the end result of your work, you can always copy back the file from data folder to interface folder.
Portrait Type
There are 2 types of portraits:
1) Operative portrait is shown on several panels throughout the game to make it easier for you to recognize each operative. The portrait can be found on hireNPCX.bmp file on interface folder.
2) Important NPC portrait is shown on Talk Panel when your operative talk to the NPC. The portrait can be found on keyNPCX.bmp file on interface folder.
Choosing Target Portrait
Your first decision is to choose whether to replace operative or important NPC portrait. If you choose to replace operative portrait, open hireNPCX.bmp to identify which operative you want to replace. If you choose to replace important NPC, open keyNPCX.bmp to identify which NPC you want to replace. It's better for you to choose to replace operative portrait because you'll spend most of your time staring at them while playing the game.
If you are adding your face, choose the portrait in the bitmap file that closely match your gender, skin tone and hair colour. These are 3 only necessary details to make sure your portrait will match creature skin and hair colour as shown in the game. Once you have identified the portrait, then it's time to hunt for your source portrait!
You probably can get your source portrait from the Internet or through your collection of photo album by scanning it to the computer. Most of photo files from the Internet are in JPEG format so you have to convert it to bitmap format.
Creating Source Portrait
It's better for you to concentrate your effort to replace only one portrait in the game at one time. That way if you are happy with the end result, replacing other portrait will pose no problem to you.
So you have yourself some photos in bitmap files. Now it is time to do some graphical touch up on it so you can fit the photo into the portrait you want to replace. Among the photos, choose only one photo that you think is the best to replace the portrait in the game. Generally speaking, the photo must show all portions of someone head. It is much easier if the photo is taken in zoom view.
Once you have identified the right photo, use image editor to crop portion of the photo so it only show all portions of head. Make sure the cropped portion has 64 pixels width and 64 pixels height. If the cropped portion is too large to fit to 64 pixels width or 64 pixels height, just crop it anyway and then resize the cropped portion to 64 pixels width and 64 pixels height. You probably have to try the process several times before you get it right. Once you are happy with the result, save the file.
Pasting Source Portrait
Right now you have yourself a touch up photo in bitmap format which has 64 pixels width and 64 pixels height to represent your source portrait. Open the bitmap file along with hireNPCX.bmp or keyNPCX.bmp. Copy your source portrait and paste it as new layer to any portrait in hireNPCX.bmp or keyNPCX.bmp that you want to replace. You must paste it as new layer to allow you to drag the pasted image to any position in hireNPCX.bmp or keyNPCX.bmp.
You need to position the pasted image in such a way the pasted image completely cover the portrait you want to replace. Use line border surrounding the portrait as your guideline. Right now hireNPCX.bmp or keyNPCX.bmp contain 2 layer of images - one layer is from your pasted image and the other is background layer.
Once you are happy with the position, you need to merge both of layers to allow you to save hireNPCX.bmp or keyNPCX.bmp. This is because bitmap file can't contain multiple layers. Once you have merge the layers, then you can save the file. It's done! You can now try your mod by playing the game to see if it works.