Firstly, this isn't a shot at anyone at all. If it weren't for Littlebase, SouL, and Prinsto, I wouldn't have had this much commitment to modding a game that's over 10 years old. However, I noticed some grammatical issues and methods that are outdated, along with other things that really caused me to scratch my head at some of the written stuff here, which more or less implies that you know how to mod or have had previous experience.

In Prinsto's case, he's clear and concise, and his videos are recommended, but this intends to both supplement and replace his tutorials in the event that you cannot view them due to bandwidth reasons, or the possibility that he is forced to take down his videos? It can happen in the digital age, so I thought I should write this. I might add a document or text file for offline use

Noesis
Optipix
GIMP, Photoshop, Paintshop Pro, or an image editor of your choice (one that supports layers)
X-Packer
RROExporter
HARDX Import Export tool
CH.PAC files
EXPERT Tools
ISO of HCTP
Computer fast enough to handle a PS2 emulator – or - a DVD burner and a modded PS2

1)Find an ISO of HCTP. By law, nobody here can provide this, so don’t ask anyone. This can be found using Google.

2)Open Expert Tools. What we’re going to do now is extract the files in which the characters are stored, called CH.PAC, and CH2.PAC

3)Under the dropdown menu called plugins, choose @Shinker-ps2_psp_CdDCD5_iso.epi

4)Click Open and select your ISO

5)Click Extract LBA

6)Click Extract Files. This takes a while on the fastest of computers, so grab yourself a snack, and maybe watch your favourite cartoon.

7)Once this is done, click on the newly made directory, and find the PAC folder which should be something like:

X:\Downloads\WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (USA)\@WWE SMACKDOWN! HERE COMES THE PAIN (USA).ISO\PAC

8)Don’t close Expert Tools! You’re saving yourself some work if you don’t. Now, locate the CH.PAC and CH2.PAC files, and copy them into a directory you want to work in (ex: My Documents)

In case you haven’t done this, you should think about it at this point. Who do you want to mod today? Do you want to make an updated version of Brock Lesnar? Do you want to be the first to make a CM Punk available to download for the public?


1)Have a look at this topic. Character ID's for HCTP-by Prinsto

as well as this awesome website where you can view the models of Here Comes the Pain (courtesy of Coroner)

2) Find which character you want use as a base. A base is a term used by the community to describe a template or model on which you want to modify to look like your desired character. As you probably know by now, there was NO CM Punk in HCTP originally.

So it’s up to you to pick an appropriate base that has a close weight and look to the character that you want to mod. Just because a character like Big E. Langston wears tights, doesn't necessarily mean Shelton Benjamin would be a good base for him.

Some suggestions from the community can be found here

*Notice I didn’t say height? Don’t worry about this, because there are options that allow you to modify the height via cheats*

3)Once you’ve found which PAC (either CH.PAC or CH2.PAC) file your base is located in, use HARDX’s Importer/Exporter to open it up. For Sheamus, I used Test as a base. So I picked 25, and I exported 25.PAC by clicking the export button.

4)Remember where you exported your file.

At this point, you need to extract the original image files. You should have a folder in which you want to work on your character by now with all your files in the same place, but if you don’t, take a moment to do that now.

I say this because it’s very easy to lose one small but crucial file, then pull your hair out trying to find it. If you plan on doing more than one character, begin to name your folders appropriately.

1)Open X-Packer.

2)Click File>Open PS2/PSP Wrestler Pac


3)Next to main archive, click extract all. Remember your directory that you extracted this to.

4)Next to the heading that says texture archive, click export all, not extract.

5)You now have all your image files.

Ideally, you want to keep track of your progress, and see how it looks in game without too much trouble. This is done by creating a model, and viewing it in Noesis. In order to do this:

1)Open up RROExporter, and find the file called 02.YOBJ in your directory that you extracted everything from the main archive to.

2)Click Export and find that 02.YOBJ.

3)There’s no real confirmation except a small flash and another window asking if you would like to save 02, with the type as .OBJ. Click Save.

4)Open NOESIS and click on your new .OBJ. Now, look at that, there’s the character you picked!

So, these image files are technically textures. You’re about to start, and maybe you can brag to your friends outside the community and tell them about how you mod stuff. But first, you must master the art of editing.

There weren’t just clean distinct files that has an appropriate texture per body part; they’re also labelled with odd names by the original developers, but don’t get nervous!

1)Open up Optipix and open the tm2 files (File> Open Image) that you’ve extracted. Find the face file. At this point, it’s trial and error, but you have a small amount of files, so it shouldn’t take too long.

2)Save your files as PNG files, never .jpg, so that you can work with them in photoshop or the image editor of your choice.

3)Begin editing! Slapping on a face from another game or your own images won’t cut it. You have to line up the eye sockets, mouth, nostrils and ears. Cut out those parts separately, and fill the empty areas with the clone stamp.

4)When you’re done, save both a .PSD and a .PNG (with another file name so you don’t overwrite the texture), so you can go back and make modifications as needed.

5)Open your newly modified image in Optipix.

6)Look at the original tm2 file that you wanted to replace. If you closed it, open it back up. Note the stats in the name next to the file dimensions. It should either say 8bpp (256) –or- 4bpp(16).

7)Go back to the newly modified PNG file, or the character’s new face. Click Image>Colour Reduction, and reduce the colours to either 256 or 16, depending on what the original image had.

8)Click Options>Alpha Channel Setting. Under Alpha Value Range Setting, click Half Range 256 level. Click OK.

9)Click Layer>Create New Alpha Channel.

10)Save your image with the same name as the tm2 file you intend to replace. So if the original file name was uglyface.tm2, then you would save it as...you guessed it, uglyface.tm2. Select 4 or 8 bit .tm2 depending on the original file (remember, it says it up top)

BUT WAIT.What if something goes wrong? Before saving your file as a .tm2, remember that you should always back up your originals. Within the window to save, you can find your original file right click>Rename File, and mark it as uglyfaceoriginal.tm2. Otherwise, you’ll overwrite it, and this is a pain, especially if you overwrote the PNG (which I’ve done before).

11)Do or die time. Open up Noesis, click on your .OBJ file again (this is to refresh it), and see how your newly modified face looks. Can you improve it? Does everything line up? Is it worth using this base to create this character? You’re free ask the community for their opinion.

12)Follow the same process for re-skinning everything else once you’re satisfied.

****You might ask why I told you to start with the face. This is the make or break point of the mod. People will like a mod where the character closely resembles who it’s supposed to be. Attire helps too, but if CM Punk looks like a monkey, I can guarantee very few people will want to download him. ****