How to edit graphics in NBA Live 2003

Okay first off, contrary to what you may believe, it is easy, somewhat lengthy, but it is none-the-less possible. You need 2 programs along with any paint or graphics editor program.
First, get vivmagic at www.nfshome.com it is mainly used for NFS, but can be used with any viv file.
Second, you need to get fshtool, get this at http://auroux.free.fr/nfs/
To edit your graphics:
Open vivmagic, you'll need to click on the unpack button, now select the .viv file that the .fsh file is in that you want to edit. Once you have done that, go into the directory that the .viv was in, you should find a new folder, it will be named whatever the .viv file was named (example: If you unpacked 5.viv, the folder would be named 5). Now copy all those files into the directory where you installed fshtool (you can drag the files, but it'll just be two times harder). Now drag the file(s) that you want to edit into the fshtool.exe (you must do one at a time) Now a new folder will be created (again the same name that the .fsh file is) and is now editable. It will be a .bmp file

Once you are done:
To get the file back into the .viv, you need to copy the files from the folder that the .bmp's were located, and drag them to the fshtool directory. Now drag index.fsh into the fshtool.exe. This will replace the original .fsh file with the edited one. Now take that file and copy it, and place it in the directory where you unpacked the .viv file. Click yes to overwrite it. now open vivmagic again. Hit the pack button and go cak into the directory in which you unpacked the original .viv file. Once you have selected the ".viv file name".idx and hit save. The new .viv file will now be complete with your edited graphics. The original will be renamed ".viv file name"_0001.viv

Complicated, but it is possible.

Thanks! The fshtool works great.

If anyone makes any updates post please!

I've made a TNT overlay, but I'm not gonna upload it......... yet

TNT should be good, considering the scoreboard overlay is basically what TNT has.

Speaking of TNT - Rockets/Mavs game is a good one. Yao has absolutely snapped.

hey $cOTTy mA$e
what is Yao lookin' like tonight ?

PPG324,
nice avatar--you've got good taste

Yao played great--he will definetly be a very good player in the league maybe even an all star in a couple years! He just needed minutes and confidence!

Not as easy as EA graph but it works, I checked players like Casey Jacobsen and Carlos Boozer because they look horrible in the game, but their faces are real good it must be those damn animated eyes or face shape
thank you I appreciate this very much

Awesome stuff y2k1996!

I'll mention something that will simplify your "tutorial" a bit...

There is no need to import the new FSH file back into the original VIV file. EA has made patching graphics for NBA Live 2003 quite a bit easier than previous years (aside from the fact that until now we could not view the graphics ).

All you have to do is follow the steps as you described them up to the point that I quote below:

"Once you are done:
You need to copy the files from the folder that the .bmp's were located, and drag them to the fshtool directory. Now drag index.fsh into the fshtool.exe. This will replace the original .fsh file with the edited one."

Once you have your new FSH file made there is no need to modify the original VIV file...

Step 1:

Modify the last line of the \NBA Live 2003\main\cscripts\xstartup.cfg to read...

customart 1

You will only ever have to perform this step once...

Step 2:

Create a directory in the render directory called xplayer. Inside the xplayer directory create a directory with the ID name of the player face you want to replace (example: kobryan).

Step 3:

Copy your new FSH file into the new directory and ensure that the FSH file has the same filename as the player ID name (example: copy your new FSH file into the kobryan directory and rename the new FSH file kobryan.fsh).

Step 4:

Run the game and enjoy the new graphics.

Check out the customization guide for NBA Live 2003 on the front page of the NLSC for more info.

DANet,
Patchers can still use a bat file to install the patches though right?

DANet,
Patchers can still use a bat file to install the patches though right?

Yes they can...all they have to do is use a few DOS commands along the lines of:

MD render\xplayer>NUL
MD render\xplayer\kobryan>NUL
MOVE kobryan.fsh render\xplayer\kobryan

There is no need to even use BLOTCH anymore...except to ensure that the skin color of the players body matches the skin color used for the players head .

I took a look at the faces, jerseys, and shoes...here's a quick summary (comparing the graphics to NBA Live 2001):

1. Faces

Faces are only 256x256 pixels in size. The teeth are no longer contained at the bottom of the face image.

2. Jerseys

The jerseys are still 512x512 pixels in size and the shorts and jersey are still orientated the same as Live 2001. The jersey neck and arm holes are different shapes than Live 2001 however.

3. Shoes

The shoes are 128x128 pixels in size. The shoes are more symmetrical in shape than Live 2001 and I think that will make creating shoes a bit easier.

DANet,
good to hear bro! Thanks again--what about the courts?--I'm going to wait for the EA Graph--that stuff is too complicated for me. 8)

Under NBA Live 2003\render\xplayer, I can't find the viv packet for any of the players I created in the game. Is there a way to edit created player faces?

alright.. i tried 2 do that.. well i couldnt get it 2 work.. what i did notice though is when a folder called xplayer was created.. for some reason in game.. whenever u go 2 a different player itd take longer time 2 show him.. i wanted 2 ask some1 if i sent u a bmp of baron davis with a bald head.. if u could send me the fsh file 2 make it work ingame.. thanx

I tried the same thing, with Rickty Davis I added cornrows and replaced the FSHes adn VIVs etc. and it just takes longer to show ricky but no change... poop

I tested what I said earlier in this thread before I posted it so I know it does work. For the quick test I stuck a custom made face on Kobe Bryant's body...

I'm at work right now on my lunch break so I can't really give any more assistance at the moment. I will take a look at this again when I get home tonight and maybe give a little more detail of how to do this...it is possible.

Yar please give us the secrets cause I would love to get my Lebron face in the game... Thanks for the help all of you...
Enjoy work man

Is it possible to make this post a sticky, perhaps more people will read it then and be able to make patches.

Ok.. what happened..?

Ok.. what happened..?

I'm working on a quick tutorial...hang tight for little longer .

This a cool tool for what it does. The size is small, but efficient!

yeah...I can't figure out how to get the faces to show up either, I put erwilli.fsh right next to the erwilli_acc.fsh, but I still get the tattoos, but don't get the bald head...

I've created a quick tutorial on how to create cyberfaces for NBA Live 2003. I posted the link in the announcements section...you can find that thread here...

http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~nbalive/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=979

anyone get the heads to work yet? Can't get faces in?

Yes the heads work fine. Send me an e-mail about what your doing and hopefully i'll find out the problem.