modding guide

MODDING GUIDE

a bit about modding first. everything in ff is dictated by files call .dats. from npc names to how galkas /bow is all done with .dats. modding is taking a custom .dat (either making yourself (not recomended) or getting from the interwebs) and replacing that with SE's .dat.

the most common modding that takes place is changing the look of a piece of armor. now, the standard player is made up of 10 dats at any given time.

1. face
   
2. head
   
3. body
   
4. hands
   
5. legs
   
6. feet
   
7. main hand
   
8. sub hand
   
9. ranged
   
10. animation
    

now, these change depending on what you're wearing, if you're running or idling, wearing pld af or doblet gear. and any of these can be changed. but please note that there are THOUSANDS of .dats, changing these at random WILL mess up your game. because of that, there's one basic rule to ensure you won't need to reinstall.

NEVER EVER DELETE A SE .DAT EVER

if you want to mod a piece, you'll have to find the exact place it's kept in the SE folders. that's usually expressed by a number x-xxx-xxx.

now then, starting in the C:\Program Files\PlayOnline\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI folder, you'll see a number of folders called "ROM" "ROM2" etc. the first x is what rom folder we're looking for. "ROM" is considered ROM1

inside this folder is a number of numbered folders. the second set of x's is the folder you're looking for.

inside that folder, is the actual .dat you're looking for.

the example we're doing today is modding the mithra AJ.

first thing you'll need is the american model viewer (http://files.filefront.com/MVprogramzip/;9481922;/fileinfo.html)

open 'er up and turn on dat numbers.



close the program to make it take effect and open 'er again. now, since we're replacing the mirhra AJ, make sure you're broswsing mithra and hit the dropdown menu under body until you find the AJ
(note: there are only so many actual different pieces, and lots of armor uses the same graphics. if you change one, you're changing them all. so if you change the regular doblet, you're changing every piece of armor that uses the doblet for that race (male and females are considered different races by coding standards))



this tells us our magic code for the AJ: 1-121-71. so we go to folder C:\Program Files\PlayOnline\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\ROM\121 and find 71.dat. now, because we never ever delete an SE .dat, we'll just rename it 71a.dat. this tells us that this is an orginal and that the 71.dat we're about to put in is a mod if we look at this folder months frmo now. also, we can revert back to the SE version should we ever need to.

so we rename it



and cut/paste our new file in



now we go back to our model viewer, change the body piece to something else and then back to the AJ to make it reload our new file.



now, i don't recomend modding while ff is open, but it's doable. if you're the one wearing the newly modded armor, just blink your character to reload, although if someone else inthe zone is wearing it, it may cause the game to crash. no loss though, just a nucience.

and that's it. there's mods all over the place for new faces, armor, changes in the UI, music, sound effects, animations, just about anything.

RESCOURCES

http://www.ffximc.com/
http://ffxidats.com/index.php
http://tune.ache-bang.com/~vg/ (japanese and NSFW, some good stuff comes outta here, but you have to wade though a LOT of perverted mods)
http://www.ffxionline.com/forums/dat-image-rendering-294/
http://www.killingifrit.com/forums.php?m=topics&s=70

Yay to no more crappy blm AF

Some rather nifty smn gear.

Yingyang robe, evoker's horn and evoker's spats!