How do I extract a model and reskin it?

[CornFlakes]

I'm trying to extract the Black hawk, I have the Arma 2 sdk kit, but I do not know how to extract it or anything else. I'm lost.

[PuFu]

I'm trying to extract the Black hawk, I have the Arma 2 sdk kit, but I do not know how to extract it or anything else. I'm lost.

You need a derapify/depbo tool first. Just google or search BIS forums for one ( i for once am using kegetys cpbo and/or eliteness

This link might also help you:
http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=82405
You should be able to find your MH60 in \ArmA2\Addons\air.pbo.
The name of the file is: MH_60mg.p3d

BUT:
models in your game are binarized. That means that your O2 won't be able to load them

If you want to re texture it, you won't need the model in a first phase anyways, you would need its textures. Those you can find in \ArmA 2\AddOns\air\Data\ and should all begin with either uh60 or mh60. The texture files are .paa format (you should be able to open those with texView 2 or with PS (if you have the proper plug-in).

Once you are done with retexturing it, you would basically need to hex-edit the binarized p3d and change the paths of the files with the ones you want.
I am not gonna explain here how to hex-edit, due to lack of time, but you will need a hex-editor, and would need to make sure that the length of the changed path matched the original one

or you could always way and see if BIS are gonna release the MLODs....or use ArmA 1 mlods for now (the model is pretty much the same with really small changes to the rvmat and other tiny things)

[CornFlakes]

Ok, cool thanks for the hand.

[Lester]

In ArmA2 nearly all objects are prepared to retexture them without any path editing.
All texture versions use other textures but the same model !

Have a look into the config to see how it's made !

[PuFu]

oh yeah correct, slipped my mind....check the config for the unit/model you want to retexture, and have a look over hidden selections...

[sarge4267]

Well I tried to open a texture in photoshop with the correct plugin aswel as in texview and neither of them show the picture

[PuFu]

Well I tried to open a texture in photoshop with the correct plugin aswel as in texview and neither of them show the picture

which .paa file

what version of PS .paa plugin. TexView 2 (arma2 toolset?)

EDIT:
confirm that i cannot open it with PS CS4 x64. Can do with PS CS3/4 32 though
can defo open it with texView

[Binkowski]

confirm that i cannot open it with PS CS4 x64. Can do with PS CS3/4 32 though
can defo open it with texView

I also cannot open .PAA files with PS CS4 x64, however I can also open it with PS CS4 32 bit. And of course, all the time with TexView.

[stryder88]

What is the process to get this working once you have retextured the file? I am working on a beret retexture (just for my own use) and I don't know what to do now!

[5urge]

how do you view hidden sections in the config.bin so you know which textures to re-texture ?