I'm showing very simple version how to edit 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.gamespy.com/files/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 needs)

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). At the bottom where it says "Files of type"... select "All Files". Now open iw_00.iwd




1.1. Go to "images" folder. Now, locate files, beggining at "bg_....". There is 8 files. I'm showing simple variant, so i take file "bg_front2.iwi"



1.2. Ok. Now take this file and put into folder with both converters. Then drag and drop file to ddstoiwi.exe



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"



1.4 Now u can modify image as you wish. After that, we must save image : DXT5, NO MIPMAPS, 2D. And with name "bg_front2.dds". Surely, .dds size image must be binary (2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,512,1024,2048). So, our image 1024x512



1.5 Now we have changed bg_front2.dds. Time to convert it to .iwi. Drag and drop to "dds2iwi-cod4.exe" file. After few second we turn out file named "bg_front2.iwi"

1.6 Well, now we must pack changed iwd. Open iw_00.iwd with pakScape and drag and drop changed .iwi file to "images" folder inside iw_00.iwd



1.7 Click "yes" and save an .iwd. Now, check and play =)


PART II.

Now I'm showing, how to create custom loadscreen with simple mod

2. Choose any image and open with photoshop



2.1 Change image size to 1024x1024



2.2 Change picture as you wish. Save and convert to .iwi. Now we can pack file into iw_00.iwd, but we trying create mod

2.3 Create folder "images". Put changed bg_front2.iwi inside folder. Now pack this folder to a .Zip using WinZip

2.4 IMPORTANT ! After patch 1.4 game doesn't read custom files from main folder. But if the file will be beggining "iw_....." , game "undertood" file. So, our name is "iw_zzz_menu_mod.zip". Now change format from .zip to .iwd

2.5 Put "iw_zzz_menu_mod.iwd" to the main folder

2.6 Result



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

If u have a questions, u can ask them here

Tutorial writing by Vsevolod "Gagarin" Vinogradov

P.S: sorry for my bad english =) I'm trying

edited on Jan. 20, 2008 02:09 pm by Gagarin

edited on Jan. 20, 2008 03:34 pm by foyleman

Thanks for posting. You should read the 'how to submid a tutorial' topic, so this can be added to the tutorial section

Edit: sorry I just read that all you hav to do is post the tut here, didn't know that yet...

edited on Jan. 20, 2008 02:31 pm by Dancing_Lobster

edited on Jan. 20, 2008 02:32 pm by Dancing_Lobster

I tryed what you said for custom load screen. It didn't work for me. Is there a way you can explain 2.2 and 2.3 a little better or something?

Yes if you could explain 2.2 and 2.3 a little bit better i am also happy with this thanks m8

image manipulation with Photoshop doesn't belong to the tutorial (2.2)

don't unterstand why 2.3 is so difficult for your. Apart from that, it had been already explained in the forums a hundred times.

http://www.modsonline.com/Forums-top-77520-0.html%23619961
Instead of "weapons" and "mp" folder, create a new folder called "images" only. Move the iwi into the new folder you've just created and make an iwd archive out of the folder (zip normal compression, not rar!)

Thanks m8 you know what it is if it is all over the forum how must i look for it the autor had make a topic where you could ask things but if people are asking it some where else and i dont type in the correct words then i never find it.

But anyway thanks again Sevenz and why does the admin or author dont take that part out 2.2
ty

Change picture as you wish --> doesn't belong here

Save and convert to .iwi --> explained elsewhere (similar to custom loadscreen creation)

texture tutorials: http://www.modsonline.com/Tutorials-read-326.html