Hey guys, I am not sure if you already know but I already have another three mods up at Patreon. They are the Gon Pop Art, Jin Lunar Eclipse and Yun Moontide. Be sure to check them out.
I also need your help to decide which version of the Yun Moontide outfit I should share in the public post, so be sure to enter the Poll and make your choice known. 😃 The poll ends on 2 December so hurry.
By the way, Alpha Hunter is up on sale for this Black Friday sale, so if you like my Jin Alpha Hunter mod and want to use it, you may want to use this chance to get the outfit. 😆
I will likely stop posting in this blog so keep an eye out for new mods on my Patreon page. 😅
Before I begin talking about my decision to move to Patreon, I would like to let everyone know that I will preserve the way of how I do things here; as in there will still be a publicly viewable post with a free mod (my favorite 😃).
As for the reason of the move, patrons who have been with me since my first post will know, my journey with skin mod started back when I was playing another NCSoft game - AION. And what triggered me to learn skin mod is because of my frustration with a costume that I deemed wrongfully colored. Even though the Game Manager acknowledged the error after I submitted a ticket, nothing was done. My 'volcano' finally erupted after months of waiting with no action from the GM and so, I took things into my own hands - learn to mod. And that bring us this Blog today.
Over the years, I had made and shared close to a hundred mods, fulfilling some requests by you guys along the way. However, I mostly created only one version of the mod for each outfit; and like how I find the outfit that started me on my journey imperfect, my mod may not be perfect to each and everyone of you (beauty in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes 😃). As such, I started to think about how wonderful it would be if everyone can have a mod that is close to their perceived perfection.
For example, the patron who requested for the Yun Colorful Silk mod actually only wanted the two huge pieces of translucent cloth (I call them wings 😅) removed. But for other players, they might like to keep the wings but hate the pin and rose on the chest. Some might prefer naked legs, while some prefer leaving the pair of leggings on.
From there, I started to think about making different versions of the mod. But thinking further, I feel that this is still incomplete. Firstly, with the different features that I kept separated on the raw file (i.e. short or long wings or none, pin or no pin, rose or no rose, naked leg or translucent legging or original legging, to list some of them), I cannot possible compile a file for every combination of them. I will probably blow the storage limit with one file for each possible version, because that may end up with like close to fifty files for each single mod 😰. Thus, I can optimally provide four or five versions for each mod. But that will also take additional time and effort.
However, that brings us to the second problem which is that I simply can't satisfy everyone's desire for the perfect outfit with just four or five versions. So I will also create a higher tier for my Patreon account where patrons can request for a version with the features that they may desire (as in what I have already made available in the raw file). I will also announce the next mod inline so that patrons on this and higher tier can chip in their ideas as to what they desire (except nude request 😇) in the mod. Of course, it would still has to be constrained within texture mods and its feasibility.
And if that is still not enough for some patrons, I have plan for a highest tier to give out the raw files (which are in pdn format - for use with the freely available Paint.net). In the raw pdn file, you can freely hide/unhide features (layers), or add in your own features and recompile them to make your very own perfect outfit. From the raw files, you can also gain an insight into how I made the mod. I will also be adding the raw files for older mods in this tier too.
You can take a look at an example of the raw file below, showing how hiding/unhiding a layer can add or remove features from the mod. Of course, you would still need to have UPKManager to compile the texture files after that (that is, unless the creator of UPKManager is willing to tweak the application so that it can automatically read the pdn files and allow users to simply click a button in the application to turn on/off features and compile it 😅).
Example of Raw File
Well, I am still thinking through and working on all the stuff mentioned above. But if the move to Patreon works well, I can fully re-invest my time and energy into mod-ding again.
Last but not least, you are welcome to give suggestions in the mean time.
Two weeks ago, a patron saw one of my previous mods from last year, the Yun Ethereal Phantom, and asked if I have the Jin version. Back then, I noticed that it is only possible to mod the legs of the Jin version, so I am not very interested in doing it. But upon this request, I checked the outfit again (I forgot its look and thought it has the same appearance as the Yun version 😅 ), and found that the Ethereal Phantom actually has different appearances for the three races.
You can compare the three versions below. I show only the white Ethereal Phantom here since the black version is the same except for color and linings.
Gon Jin Yun
The prominent feature of this outfit is the ghost face hanging by the waist. Gon got the hottest design as always (most of the time) while the Jin and Yun had to sport a pair of trumpet sleeves. 😧
For the Yun, the overall design is like a shirt with trumpet sleeves worn over an inner blouse, and the bottom is made up of a pair of tights.
For the Jin version, the pair of tights feels more like stockings because a pair of trunks is worn over them.
In the Gon version, it is safe to assume that they wear a pair of stockings, from the look of it. The bottom is pair of sport shorts, while the top is a shirt slightly similar to that of Jin and Yun, minus that exaggerated pair of trumpet sleeves.
After comparing the three races' versions on top, let us take a closer look at the original Jin white and black Ethereal Phantom below.
Front View - Original Outfit
Both versions have the same cut-out but differ in terms of the color scheme and linings.
Front Close-up View - Original Outfit
The ghost face that is hanging prominently on the waist front can be easily missed if we are not paying attention. This is due to the color scheme that seems to camouflage it with the surrounding cloth.
Rear View - Original Outfit
We can see the trumpet sleeves 'cutting' into the torso just like in the case of the Yun outfit. 😧
Rear Close-up View - Original Outfit
A long strip of torn-up cloth, that compliments the 'phantom' aspect of the outfit name, runs down the back.
Side View - Original Outfit
The side views provide the clearest view of the menacing trumpet sleeves. 😦
Side Close-up View - Original Outfit
From all the images and texts above, you can probably imagine that the pair of sleeves is my number one nemesis. Unfortunately, like the Yun's case, they cannot be removed due to disconnected arm. 😰
Since I cannot do anything to the sleeves, I turn my attention to the arms and legs, recoloring them to skin tone.
I also notice something that has escaped my attention when I last look at the outfit. And that is the torso portion right in the middle. That area, consisting of the under boobs and upper abdomen, is actually tight-fitting to the skin and can be safely recolored to skin layer.
The recoloring of the mid-torso to skin layer separated the outfit into top and bottom halves. Although the exposed part of the breasts can also be recolored to skin, I did not do so. Instead, I retained the top part of the cloth so only the under boobs are revealed, making it similar to the Nirvana or Dream Cutter outfit.
Let's check the mod below.
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The arms and legs can be seen recolored to skin.
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The mid-portion of the torso has also been recolored to skin tone, causing the outfit to be split into top and bottom halves.
The front cloth has also been shortened to the same level as the ghost face.
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No changes have been done to the back of the outfit.
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The pair of trunks cannot be removed else we will be looking at legs that will be disconnected from the torso.
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I left the linings on the wrist because it will take some time to remove them on the normal texture. Or a simpler explanation, I am just being lazy. 😆
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We have reached the end of this post. Remember to watch the video if you want to get a better look at the mod.
It has been three weeks since the last post and I can finally have enough time to get a mod and its accompanying video and post done. In this week's mod, we will see the two remaining versions of the Decked Out outfit for Gon and Jin. I have done the Yun Decked Out in the beginning of this year and a patron requested for the Jin and Gon versions just early this month. So let's get to it.
As seen in the Yun post, the Decked Out outfit has a Christmas vibe and is mostly cotton knitted. The cotton knitted red dress is worn over an inner black dress. The same goes for both the Gon and Jin versions since they all have the same appearance.
I personally do not own Decked Out on any of my characters since this outfit is not an in-game reward, and can only be bought using event token or from online Hongmoon store, when NCWest decides to do so. Therefore, I can only show them via the in-game Tailorshop. 😦 But the boon is that I can choose any head and face adornment to complement the outfit. 😅
Let's check out the original Gon and Jin Decked Out below, with Jin on the left side and Gon on the right side of the images.
Front View - Original Outfit
The cotton knitted red dress is split in the center front and back. A black inner dress can be seen beneath the red dress.
Front Close-up View - Original Outfit
The hat that I use here is the Laidback Headpiece and the glasses is the Blue Glasses. 😅
Rear View - Original Outfit
Rear Close-up View - Original Outfit
A hoodie is attached to the top back of the red dress.
Side View - Original Outfit
As we can see, the Gon and Jin versions are the same as the Yun version.
Side Close-up View - Original Outfit
For the mod, I wanted to be fair so I duplicated the Yun's mod over (actually, I might just be being lazy). 😅
First of all, I had the red dress trimmed to the thigh level. That also means that the length of the inner black dress has to be adjusted accordingly too.
Next, I trimmed the bra portion of the inner black dress lower and removed the two slings totally. Unfortunately, the star and crystal decorations attached to them have to go too.
Lastly, the bra portion of the red dress is 'cut off' or rather modified to a laced black layer to pass off as a part of the inner black dress. Somehow, the same 'cut out' on the Yun actually make a bigger hole on the Gon and Jin, so I had to cut less. 😅
The final result is as seen below, similarly with Jin on the left and Gon on the right.
Front View - Modified Outfit
As seen above, both the red cotton knit and inner black dress have been trimmed.
Front Close-up View - Modified Outfit
The slings and their decorations are also removed.
The 'cut out' can be seen more easily on the Gon version above.
Rear View - Modified Outfit
Rear Close-up View - Modified Outfit
With the removal of the crystal and star decoration, their duplications on the hoodie and shoes are gone too. 😰
Side View - Modified Outfit
Side Close-up View - Modified Outfit
With this, I can wrap up the Decked Out outfit for all three races.
Catch the video for a better look at the mod. But since I do not have the outfits, I can only capture them using the in-game Tailorshop. That limits how close I can get to the intended parts of the outfit so if you want to take a close look at the lace layer, you will need to have both the outfit and mod. 😥
Well, we have come to the end of this post. Hope to post another mod soon.
Following a one week lapse, I manage to find time for a mod and so, I decided to finish up on the request for Gon Black Ice outfit. This is one of the oldest outfit in game, and a same model is worn by Soha while she was visiting her brother Leerok in the Talus Dominion capitol - Zaiwei, when it was still under the influence of Dark Emissary Jinsoyun. The white-blue version in which Soha had worn is the sister outfit called White Night, while Black Ice is the black-orange version.
The outfit can be obtained by defeating the final boss - Asura in Sogun's Lament dungeon. Asura is the transformation of Prince Sogun, who was misled by the demoness Yura to preform the Heaven Mandate ritual.
Convinced by Yura that he should have been the Emperor, Sogun conducted the Heaven Mandate ritual which ended the Highland Metropolis in ruins and caused the death of his dear sister Princess Solan. Driven by guilt, the possessed Sogun took refuge in his secret palace which came to be known as Sogun's lament. Asura is the effect of internal battling between his possessed self and guilt stricken conscious, taking the form of fire element on one half of his body and ice element on the other half.
If you want to see what Sogun's madness did to Highland Metropolis, you can see it in the first part of this video. And if you like to know what a humanoid with his body half on fire and half on ice looks like, you can see him in the last part of this video after he has been defeated.
Sogun's Lament used to be a very challenging dungeon in the early days of the game, featuring three mech heavy bosses which required players' coordination to defeat. Nowadays, a moderately geared level sixty player can solo the dungeon. However, whether or not a player can get their hands on the outfit is still pretty much up to our beloved RNG goddess. 😆
As you can imagine, the very contradicting names of both Black Ice and White Night might have come from the very contradicting characteristic of Asura, whose body is half on fire and half on ice, and inner torment of guilt and tyranny.
As for appearance, Black Ice is one of the outfits that has different appearance for the three races as you can see in the image below.
Gon Jin Yun
The main differences lie on the chest and leg portions. While the Jin and Yun race wear a bikini top, Gon wear a zipped shirt. For the legs, Gon sports a pair of fishnet leggings, while Yun gets a translucent pair and Jin has none.
The rest of the outfit is quite similar, including a thick winter coat with furry white collar, a pair of long boots and a mini skirt with belt accessories.
Let's take a quick look at the original Gon Black Ice below.
Front View - Original Outfit
In the real world, a thick winter coat just does not go well with half of the body exposed, for obvious reason. However, in a martial arts world, where skilled characters are not afraid of cold at all, the coat is probably just for fashion sake. 😅
Front Close-up View - Original Outfit
The zipped shirt and fishnet legging can be seen in the image above.
Rear View - Original Outfit
Rear Close-up View - Original Outfit
The thick furry collar almost block the entire head when seen from the back.
Side View - Original Outfit
Side Close-up View - Original Outfit
Seeing how a Gon is physically more sturdy than a Jin or Yun, I figure they do not need a shirt to actually protect them from the cold. After all, the Jin and Yun wear only a bikini top. 😅
As such, I tried to trim the shirt down to size. Unfortunately, the mesh structures of the breasts beneath the shirt and the sides of the abdomen are missing. In the end, I can only trim or open up the vertical center portion of the shirt, to give it a look similar to the GonInfinite Challengeoutfit. 😥
Next, I trimmed the coat to just end at the skirt level since the mesh structure for the back is missing, and finally took off the pair of fishnet leggings. Nothing can be done for the thick furry collar because the portion where the arms and shoulder connects is missing.
Let's check the final mod below.
Front View - Modified Outfit
As seen above, the pair of fishnet leggings has been removed.
Front Close-up View - Modified Outfit
The center portion of the shirt has been trimmed. Does it reminds you of theInfinite Challengeoutfit? 😅
Rear View - Modified Outfit
The coat has been shortened to the skirt level.
Rear Close-up View - Modified Outfit
I did not trim the skirt because the belt accessory that is paired with it will be left dangling and looking weird.
Side View - Modified Outfit
Side Close-up View - Modified Outfit
I am reluctant to cut the coat any shorter because it will give a top heavy and bottom light feel due to the thickness of the coat and collar, like the Jin version below. However, a more important reason is that the Gon's back is missing from the top of the skirt up. 😰
We have come to the end of this post. Watch the video if you want to take a closer look at the mod.
First of all, I would like to thank everyone for your support for this blog and hope that you have enjoyed the mods and contents. It has been fun but this will be the last of my weekly post as my focus has changed. Bread and butter is always the main concern in this world that we live in, and as such, I will not be posting on a weekly basis anymore while I focus on the more important issue.
If you like this blog and the mods, you can either follow me on this blog or subscribe to my YouTube channel. In this way, you can get notification when I post anything on either platform, without need to check every now and then for new upload or posting.
Well, that get the announcement out of the way, so let's get into the mod for this post.
In the last six weeks, I have been filling requests so in this post, I will be working on an outfit which I have been looking forward to work on from awhile back. I had actually played around with it a bit when I first got my hands on the outfit, but was disappointed when I found out that the skin surface is missing a large portion under the bra. I had intended to streamline the bra to leave just the stripe in the center but alas... 😞
By then, some other outfits grabbed my attention so the Alpha Hunter was 'relocated' to the back of my mind. 😅
It was after NCWest introduced the Alpha Agent that my interest in Alpha Hunter reignites. For information, the Alpha Agent looks much the same like the Alpha Hunter, except that the red cloth has been replaced with a purple color, and that NC decides to suddenly be more conservative and covered up the under boobs. 😅
A patron thus requested to have that cover (you know what cover 😏 ) removed. Unfortunately, it seems like the textures for Alpha Agent is saved using a different format and thus can cause the game to crash upon repackaged. I tried many methods but still could not get it to work so it was left on the shelf. However, this led me once again to the Alpha Hunter which is in the same package and so we finally see it here today.
Alpha Hunter is a very beautiful outfit with design concepts from Roman and Iron age Europe. The layout of the red cloth is similar to tunic worn by ancient Romans, while the armor pieces has the essence of Iron age Europe. And since it has hunter in its name, leather component is also an essential part of the outfit, for example, the half-pants and side guard.
Take a look at the images below and decides for yourself.
Front View - Original Outfit
From the front view, we can easily identify the three types of material that are used in this outfit. The cloth and armor pieces have the essence of Romans and Iron age as mentioned above. But what about that bra... 😆
Front Close-up View - Original Outfit
The bra looks like a modern day sports bra, except that it uses metal, leather and nettings as material, and left the under boobs exposed. 😅
Rear View - Original Outfit
The way the red cloth is loosely drape on the body has the essence of the Romans' tunic.
Rear Close-up View - Original Outfit
The leather pieces reminds me of the Romans' gladiator's outfit.
Right Side View - Original Outfit
The leather pants, or rather, half-pants covered only the left leg. The right leg is instead protected by a leg armor.
Right Side Close-up View - Original Outfit
Although I mentioned that the armor pieces have essence of Iron age armor, they also possess an element of fantasy.
Left Side Close-up View - Original Outfit
Does the outfit looks alpha enough for you? 😃
As mentioned earlier, I had tried to mod the bra area at start but found holes waiting under the bra. 😦 So, this time round, I simply remove the netting on the chest area, leaving the bra otherwise untouched. I also need to get rid of the shadow beneath the netting layer.
Next, I took off all the red cloth and leather hoping there will not be any more holes. Luckily for us, there isn't any. 😄
Finally, looking at that half-pants, I am really tempted to recolor the entire left leg to skin. However, I notice that the leather pants is actually a layer above the skin layer as seen from the left side image. If I recolor the pants to skin, we will have a thicker left leg, which will look unbalance. 😰
So, for the final mod, I left it at the removal of netting, cloth and leather. Check out the simplified outfit below.
Front View - Modified Outfit
As seen above, all the red cloths and the leather protector on the left waist have been removed.
Front Close-up View - Modified Outfit
The netting above the bra on the chest area is now removed. If I try to remove the black-grey area of the bra, we will immediately see holes pop up.
Rear View - Modified Outfit
The half-pants can be seen much clearer now that the leather and cloths are gone.
Rear Close-up View - Modified Outfit
I kept the netting, on the bra, at the back because it does not look nice with just three wires as the frame. 😰
Left Side View - Modified Outfit
As mentioned earlier, the proof that the pants is a layer above the skin can be seen in the image above, where the skin of the outer left thigh is exposed under the pants.
Are you wondering why I did not remove the entire pants then? Well, the exposed skin is just what it is - a small texture of the outer thigh. If you still do not get what I mean, it means that if the pants is removed, we will only see the outer thigh while the entire left leg went missing. 😨
Right Side View - Modified Outfit
I kept the red cloth on the arms because the arms may become disconnected if the cloths are removed.
Right Side Close-up View - Modified Outfit
With this we have come to the end of this post. Hopefully, I can find time to post another mod soon.
Before the short (or maybe long) goodbye, check out the video which was captured in the Forgotten Forest - a playground for the alpha, in the Gunwon City map.
