How to change/replace advertisements in Arenas

[noobmodder]

Hello everyone!

I like to contribute some content with this instruction.
How to change the advertisments banners in a arena.
Maybe some of you want to replace those new WWE logos with older ones, or put in something else than Snickers and 2k.
And I try to explain to you how to do this.

Before I start I like to thank @squaredcirclefan and @JManny. They heleped me to spot the correct files and which tools I might need for the modding.
I also like to say: I still consider myself a noob, and I know that there are bettr Arena modders like @WhereTheFdidTheEgo and of course @Jmanny
So sorry if there are better ways to change the advertisement banners, so any help of our arena modding pros is welcome! 🙂

But now let's get started!

You need those programm/tools:
- GIMP
- re PAC
- oodle Tool
- Pac Editor

Except for GIMP, you should get all here in the SmackTalksforum (Credits to their creators!). GIMP should be free on the Internet.

The Arenas should have 6 of there Advertisements. Each 512x512 (in pixel)
If you replace just one, or all 6, is up to you.

It does not matter if the picture that you use to replace the original is a .jpg file or a .png file. It should just be
a common file type to make thise easier for you.

Start with Gimp.
Make sure that your file is 512x512, konvert it to a .dds file and rename the first one ad_1.dds
the second ad_2.dds (if you like to change all 6. name them till ad_6.dd I think you get the idea, right?)
Use select "Compression" and use the BC1/BXT1
Reason: The file needs to be the same size as the original, OR smaller. If it's data volume is larger, it will not work, maybe even crash the game!

It's also usefull to create additional 6 files, the same way, BUT
name them ad_1_i.dds (to ad_6_i.dds)
In a later step you have to "copy & paste" the files.

As yo ucan see it helps if you keep order when you do this.
So don't cause a data mess while modding! 😉

But before you start with replacing the original files, SAVE them, in case you need a recovery!!!

Now the real editing starts:

Select a stadium file. Till now I just figured out 2.
One is the large "Open Air Arena" that you can you in "Create an Arena"
the file name is arstadium00018.pac located in  <Volume:\>Steam/steampps/common/WWE2k19/pac/arena/stadium
 
The other is the small "Open Air Arena"
filename arstadium00013.pac (same location as the large one)

Every other stadium file works as well, I just liked to give you 2 examples.

So select one of thse files and open it with the re PAC-tool.
You should find a folder named 03E8
Click on it and select "MassExtract". Etract it in an EMPTY Folder!
Now you should see it's content like in any ordinary folder, also some Image files.
You should spot the image files like with the very same name as the files you should have prepared, earlier.
Now replace the original one with those by simply "copy&paste" the files.

Now open your re PAC-tool again.
Select "Create" and then "Texture Archive"
A regular Windows window opens up.
Go to the folder with the name 03E8 in which you have replaced the image files.
Mark ALL files (you can simply do that with the mouse)
Then select "open"

The re PAC tool should show the files you have selected.
Click on "Save New Archive"
The tool now creates a file with the name 03E8.pac
It can be that the file gets copied in the folder where yu have extracted the files.
You can leave it there, but I suggest to copy it in a different folder, to maintain order while working.

Now open the oodle-tool and select that fresh created 03E8.pac file
Select "Tools" and then "Compress"the oodle-tool now generates a file with the name 03E8.oodl that you need for the final steps.
Almost done!

Now open PAC Editor.
Go to the folder pac/arena/stadium in your game directories.
Open the PAC file of the Arena you like to edit.
Extract the file the is shown by the PAC Editor.

You Pac Editor again to open that extracted file and scroll down till you found the file with the name 03E8.oodl
Select "inject file" and inject that .oddl file you previously created.

Now use Pac Editior and open that arstadium-pac file (the one you liekd to edit/modify) and inject
that file in which you just injected that oodle.file

DONE!

I recommand to use your prefered tool to clean your Chunk0.arc and rebuild your Chunk.def
Start the game! If you now use the arena for any match it should show your image files as advertisements.

I hope this instruction is helpful and not explained too complicated! 😉

Edited March 22, 2020 by noobmodder
corrections

[Piper]

This is sweet,. Thank you for the tutorial

[DARKDEVILPLAYS]

New to Modding, No Joke cant even get re pac to even open the files youre saying to open. So Confused. 

[noobmodder]

On 6/1/2020 at 11:04 PM, DARKDEVILPLAYS said:

New to Modding, No Joke cant even get re pac to even open the files youre saying to open. So Confused. 

If you are sure that you did how I explained it, then there are 2 solutions you could try.

#1: Try to open the files on another system if you have access to one (another laptop or PC)

Because of some reasons it can be that re pac opens some files on "Computer A" but does not do it on "Computer B" . No clue why!

#2 Try X-Packer, but that tool isn't free. costs 15 $ (the last time I checked, at least) so it's affordable

[bennybenn]

I know this is a long shot but any chance you know what might be causing me to not be able to open the files correctly? For example if I open arstadium00013.pac, I get absolutely nothing, though if I open it in pac editor I get all the oodl files. 

In all of the arstadiums, repac does not give me any folders and either gives me unknown symbols or bin files. 

In Pac Editor I get oodl files of a bunch of stuff, one of which being the 03E8.oodl.

Using oodl tools though is confusing since I don't know what file extension to use if it is supposed to be a folder.

 

Do you know what I could do? Tried a new computer too but both open the same way in repac. Any help is appreciated.