Necessary tools and softwares :
- Infinity Explorer v0.85
- Near Infinity (optional)
- DLTCEP (optional)
- THE GIMP 2, or Photoshop
- Item Graphics Converter
- BamWorkshop 1 and/or 2


This tutorial will learn you how to apply your colours on your items !!! Modificate item icons images (bams) colors like you wish ! Bams are the icon files of your items, those you see in game in your inventory, to create new items, one simple thing to do is recolorize bam of existant items !


CHAPTER 1 : GET AN USABLE IMAGE UNDER GIMP 2


Necessary Softwares : Infinity Explorer or Near Infinitiy, DLTCEP (optional)

The first thing to do is obtain an exploitable image for GIMP 2 cause the bam file format is specific to BG2 and no software nor BamWorkshop can read it. BamWorkshop offering only basicals possibilities so you have to use GIMP 2, Photoshop or Paintshop Pro (more powerfull tools), under that softwares you will work on bmp images, so we've got to transform a bam file in two bmp images. There is two methods : one with Infinity Explorer and one with Near infinity and DLTCEP. Infinity Explorer method is the easiest and quickest one so i'll explain it firstly. The second method is just here cause it was the first method i used : so why not keep it in the tutorial for the curious ones ? So you can convert a bam in two bmp with Infinity Explorer or DLTCEP : let's see the two methods and use you're favourite one !


1/ CONVERT A BAM IN TWO BMP IMAGES WITH INFINITY EXPLORER

Necessary Software : Infinity Explorer

Launch Infinity Explorer and select the tab Graphics (BAM) and then the tab GUIIcon.bif : you got now the list of bams inventory icons, choose ICHAN11 (the exemple bam of this tutorial). Then go to "file", "export current file" and save your file as a bmp. The bam is made of two images so you've got to make the same thing one more time for the little icon of the bam (one time for animation 1 : the large icon and one time for animation 2 the little icon), you can call them ILHAN11 for large bmp and ISHAN11 for little bmp.

Convert a bam in a bmp with Infinity Explorer

>>> Graphics (BAM) >>> GUIIcon.bif >>> File >>> Export current file >>> Save

>>> If you just want your two bmp and if you don't care about the other method, we can go forward in this tutorial and introduce you to the «graphism» and into GIMP 2 with Chapter 2, if you're already familiar with graphism you can pass directly to the Chapter 3 !!!


2/ CONVERT A BAM IN TWO BMP IMAGES WITH NEAR INFINTY AND DLTCEP

Used Software : Near Infinity, DLTCEP

We will realize that in two phases : the exportation of the bam and the conversion in bmp.

2.1 Export a bam with Near Infinity

Used Software : Near Infinity

Start Near Infinity, select the files tab «bams» and chose the bam you need. In the right coner of the Near infinity window click on EXPORT... this is better to export that bam on a special dedicated repertory for Bitmap images. Now you got a copy of the bam out of the game files repertory.

Export bam of the chainmail ICHAN11.BAM

>>> Export >>> decompressed

2.2 Convert a bam in two bmp images with DLTCEP

Used Software : DLTCEP

>>> Edit >>> Animation (bam) >>> Load External Bam

Go throw your repertories and select the bam you just saved in your special dedicated repertory. Once the file is open you've got to save it but under bmp format so select the .bmp.

/!\ WARNING /!\ It's very important to change the file name or the conversion wil not work, in my exemple i change ICHAN11 in IWHAN11.

- Once you changed the name select .bmp in the menu

- Save

Change the name and select .bmp in menu

>>> File >>> Save Bam As >>> Save

If all gone well you will find two bmp images in the override BG2 with the same name (the one you just gave) one finishing by 000 and the other by 001 : it's yours bmp images.

/!\ WARNING /!\ Take care when you work with override files : you must suppress only the files you created in the BG2 override repertory !!!

Get your two bmp in BG2 override

>>> The bmp IWHAN11000 and IWHAN 11001 in BG2 override.

Your bmp repertory now

>>> The bmp IWHAN11000 and IWHAN 11001 in your bmp dedicated repertory

>>> You know how to get your two bmp files, we can go forward in this work and introduce you to the «Graphism» and into GIMP 2 with Chapter 2, if you're already familiar with graphism you can pass directly to the Chapter 3 !!!