New_Lightsaber_Blade_Model_TSL 1.0.0

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KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC II SOURCE FILE
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New_Lightsaber_Blade_Model_TSL_v1
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Author: Crazy34
Contact: PM me on Deadlystream
For: TSL
Date: 03/02/2021
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DESCRIPTION:

The vanilla lightsaber blades in Kotor and TSL look bad in my opinion. So, I tried to improve them by adding a dynamic ambient light to the blade (environmental lightning), which works quite well. Since this is hard-coded in the model I also optimized the blade plane models to have a different UV layout inspired by Sithspecter's work. I also simplified their geometry and fixed the different brightness bug (different brightness of the blade when viewed from the front compared to the back).
Additionally, I included 3D models for the core of the blade and the inner glow of the blade, which can now be used to create black core sabers as seen in SWTOR.  The glow - as well as the models - are fully animated to work as the vanilla blades.

 The hilts are updated together with the blades including hilts from Kaidon Jorn's SLM 2.0 mod.
 Summary:

    - All saber hilts are updated with hilts from Kaidon Jorn SLM 2.0 mod (I love it!) All credits for the hilt models, textures and icons go fully to him!
    - Ambient light for lightsabers
    - 3D models for blade core and inner glow
    - Symmetric lightsaber blade planes with a modified version of Sithspecter's crossguard saber UV layout. (Compatible with his unstable textures also included with all credits going to Sithspecter.)
    - Black core sabers are possible
    - Homogeneous brightness of the blade (no more “brighter blades when viewed from the front” happening any more)
    - All sabers are fully upgradeable (added black core and unstable crystals as well as crossguard versions of them)

How to use the new lightsabers:
Get the black core, unstable and crossguard sabers or crystals by cheating them by using the giveitem command or use KSE to include them in your inventory.

The item codes are organized as follows:
Lightsaber and crystal follow the standard naming scheme:

Black core: 51-60
Unstable: 21-30
Crossguard: 101-110
Crossguard, black core: 111-120
Crossguard, unstable: 91-100

For example:  
giveitem u_l_colo_51   (Blue, Black core crystal)
giveitem u_l_colo_92   (Red, unstable crossguard crystal)
giveitem g_w_lghtsbr118    (Viridian, crossguard unstable lightsaber)
giveitem g_w_dblsbr025    (Purple, unstable double blade lightsaber)
giveitem g_w_shortsbr53    (Green, black core short lightsaber)

!!!! Important: If you put a crossguard crystal in either a short lightsaber or double blade lightsaber the crystal will be transformed into its normal non crossguard version!

I HOPE that in the future some talented texture artist will create better looking blade textures using these new blade models. I plan to upload a Modders Resource explaining the blade system in detail.

CREDITS:
Kaidon Jorn:
Lightsaber Hilts models and textures and icons are created by Kaidon Jorn and taken from his SLM 2.0 mod, which you can find here: https://deadlystream.com/files/file/551-schematic-lightsaber-mod-slm/
Thank you very much for the permission to use your models and hilts here. They are amazing and I enjoyed working with them.

Sithspecter:
The new layout for the lightsaber blades plane models are inspired by Sithspecter's animated Crossguard Lightsabers mod for KOTOR which can be found here: https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1314-crossguard-lightsabers/
Thank you very much for the permission to include your animated unstable blade texture and to modified them to include the new TSL colors.

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COMPATIBILITY:

It should pretty much be compatible with any mod that doesn't use the same crystal and lightsaber model slots. This mod should be compatible with TSLRCM.  However, please notify me in the release thread if any bugs do appear that are not listed below.

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INSTALLATION:

Use the TSLPatcher multiple times. You can choose which lightsabers you want. So, for example say you are only interested in the normal saber update and the related crossguard sabers: Then install the standard saber first and second run the TSLpatcher again and install the crossguard sabers.

The crossguard sabers require to have their related non-crossguard sabers installed first.

The TSLPatcher is set up to only install a certain part of the mod and requires multiple runs to install all sabers.

It should install everything correctly.

UNINSTALL:

Navigate to the backup folder and place the contents into the Override folder. Remove all files from the tslpatchdata folder of this mod from your override folder.

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BUGS:
The tip of the blade has a spike which comes from a deformation of the lightsaber planes. This is also present in the original model. I was not able to find a fix. (Sorry about that.)

The lightsaber hilts will clip through the blades. (Unfortunately, DarthParametric has said that it is not possible to fix this.)

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PERMISSIONS:

You may use this mod as you see fit. Display it in screenshots, make it compatible with your mod. However, do please give credit where it's due, and DO NOT release it with any of your mods without my permission. If you have any ideas for improvements, or if you want to you can mod them yourselves and include them in the mod. Saves me time and I'll give you credit for what I put in.
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THANKS:

Fred Tetra: All the thanks for KotOR Tool.

TK102: All the thanks for K-GFF.

ndix UR: All the thanks for the kotorblender plugin, which I used to create the blade 3d models.

bead-v: All the thanks for Mdledit and constantly updating it. Without it this mod would not be possible. Thanks also for the comments on the ascii code.

Kaidon Jorn: All the thanks for giving me the permission for using the hilts textures and icons. With these included this is a real mod. Thank you so much.

Sithspecter: All the thanks for giving me the permission to include his animated blade textures and to modify them. Also i want to thank you for inspiring me to start modding KOTOR in the first place.

Jorak Uln: All the thanks for the constant feedback, suggestions and beta testing of the preliminary versions of the mod.

JCarter426: I want to thank him for providing information regarding lights in KOTOR and the documentation.

DarthParametric: I want to thank him for answering all my questions and being so helpful when creating and tuning of the models.

Sith Holocron: For minor proofreading of the mod documents.

For the initial feedback on the ambient light, I want to thank: DarthVarkor, Stormie97, ebmar.

Also, I want to thank all the modders out there whose work I've consistently studied and learned from.
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LEGAL:
THIS MODIFICATION IS PROVIDED AS-IS AND IS NOT SUPPORTED BY BIOWARE/OBSIDIAN ENTERTAINMENT, LUCASARTS, DISNEY OR ANY LICENSERS/SPONSORS OF THE MENTIONED COMPANIES. USE OF THIS FILE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NEITHER THE ABOVE MENTIONED COMPANIES NOR THE AUTHOR ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO YOUR COMPUTER FOR THE USAGE OF THIS FILE.