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Custom Main Menu Background

Posted: January 20th, 2008, 8:27 pm
by Gagarin
I'm showing very simple version how to edit the main menu loadscreen

First, you need something that will open up .iwd files. WinZip, WinRar or other archive tool. I'm using pakScape

Now, before you go any farther, you must have Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, with a DDS plugin.

Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro DDS plugin: http://chalice.planetelderscrolls.games ... es/dds.8bi or
http://www.modsonline.com/Downloads-full-2606.html

Next you will need an IWI to DDS converter, as well as a DDS to IWI converter:

IWI to DDS: http://www.modsonline.com/Downloads-full-3110.html

DDS to IWI: http://www.modcod4.com/ (registration required)


Now for the editing:

PART I

1. First, open Pakscape and locate your Call of Duty 4 "Main" folder (default is C:\Program Files\Activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\Main). At the bottom of the 'Open Dialog Box' where it says "Files of type"... select "All Files". Now open iw_00.iwd


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1.1. Navigate to the "images" folder. Locate files beginning with "bg_". There are 8 files. I'm showing simple variant, so I will use "bg_front2.iwi"

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1.2. Now copy this file and paste into the folder with the converters. Then drag and drop file onto iwitodds.exe

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1.3 After a few seconds, a file should appear in the same folder as the converter, named bg_front2.iwi_out.dds and it will obviously be in .dds form. Now open file with PhotoShop and with "default size"

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1.4 Now you can modify the image as you wish. After that, we must save image : DXT5, NO MIPMAPS, 2D. And with name "bg_front2.dds".
Note: DDS images must be sized to a power of 2 (2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048). So, our image is 1024x512.

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1.5 Now we have changed bg_front2.dds, it is time to convert it to an IWI file. Drag and drop the file onto "dds2iwi-cod4.exe" file. After a few seconds a file named "bg_front2.iwi" is created.

PART II

Now I will show you how to create custom loadscreen with simple mod

2. Choose any image and open with Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro

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2.1 Change image size to 1024x1024

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2.2 Change image as you wish. Save and convert to IWI.

2.3 Create a folder called "images". Put the new "bg_front2.iwi" inside folder. Now pack this folder to a .Zip using WinZip/Pakscape

---- Section under review ----
2.4 IMPORTANT - After patch 1.4, the game no longer reads custom files from main folder, but if the filename begins with "iw_", the game will read the file. So, our name is "iw_zzz_menu_mod.zip". Now change format from .zip to .iwd

2.5 Place "iw_zzz_menu_mod.iwd" in the main folder

2.6 Result

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Surely you can take any of this 8 files and change them. I hope this helps...

Tutorial writing by Vsevolod "Gagarin" Vinogradov
(Reformatted by Drofder)

Posted: January 21st, 2008, 12:01 am
by Drofder2004
Very nice tutorial, I have reformatted it for you to get the best out of it and for easier understanding.

I have placed the final section "under review" because I am not sure placing mods in the main folder by exploiting the way the game reads the code is a good idea, mods are meant to be in the mod folder. For now, I have accepted it, but future reference, all mods require a mod folder usage, although how to do it, will not be required in ever ytutorial.

Thanks again, stickied.

Posted: January 21st, 2008, 2:56 am
by Pedsdude
Very nice! It's good to see people posting tutorials so soon :)

Posted: January 21st, 2008, 5:06 am
by JDogg
Awesome tutorial, Although I must say I LOVE the stock main menu, but thats just my opinion.

Posted: January 21st, 2008, 6:41 am
by Gagarin
thx for normal reformating drof :oops: :wink: