ME to XPS: 13. Extract ME3 DLC's and HR textures

I will start with High Resolution textures:
As you now probably know, textures in Mass Effect games are not very HR.
The best source of high res textures are .tpf files, which you can load into game with TexMod program.
But how to export textures form tpf files?

In here comes ME3 Explorer. 
When you open it, under "Tools" tab you should have "TPF Tools/Instaler".
You can use this option to export textures from tpf files.
!WARNING!: Textures in tpf files are stored (or should be) in same format as original in game textures and this is dds.
This format can give you some problem, and that's why you have "Direct X Texture Tool".
This program will allow you convert original dds files into dds files openable in Paint.NET.
Some textures you will be able to open in Paint.NET right away, but some other will give you errors.

All dds files have there inside format (way that texture is saved and compress), here you have list of frequently used formats:
DXT1 - mostly used in diff textures without alpha channel (openable in Paint.NET).
DXT5 - mostly used in diff textures with alpha channel (openable in Paint.NET).
V8U8 - mostly used in norm textures (not openable in Paint.NET).

In case of formats not openable in Paint.NET i suggest opening them in "Direct X Texture Tool" first to check if they are not damaged (that can always be an option), and converting to DXT5 format for most of textures, but only to A8B8G8R8 format for norm textures.

Why A8B8G8R8 and not DXT5?
If you will covert V8U8 to any DXT (or opposite way) texture will be damaged and it will lose some of it's HR.
Always convert V8U8 to A8B8G8R8, because A8B8G8R8 is openable in Paint.NET and this conversion will not damage Norm texture.




Now Mass Effect 3 DLC files.
Requested by .
DLC files can be find in "BIOGame\DLC" folder of ME2 and ME3 games.
In case of ME2, there is no problem, but in ME3 DLC files are saved in "star" files.
To export pcc files from star file you need to use ME3 Explorer.
In it go to "Tools/DLC Editor" and load star file you want to open. There you should see inside of it.
On list of files inside find pcc file you want to export, right-click on it and select export.
After you export pcc file open it with umodel.exe and export needed files.



PS.: I think, that this will be my last tutorial. If you have some other topic you need a tutorial about in ME to XPS extracting - let me know.




Part 1 - Software: fav.me/d7mr1xc
Part 2 - Extracting: fav.me/d7mv1vc
Part 3 - Blander basis: fav.me/d7mwszw
Part 4 - Notepad basis: fav.me/d7n0esi

Extended
Part 5 - Notepad extended: fav.me/d7n0kip
Part 6 - Textures basis: fav.me/d7n5stf
Part 7 - Paint.NET basis: fav.me/d7n8244
Part 8 - Custom Shepard 1 Info & extracting: fav.me/d7naqhr
Part 9 - Custom Shepard 2 Paint.NET extended: fav.me/d7nh9z3
Part 10 - Custom Shepard 3 Blender 2.68a basis: fav.me/d7nm7ay
Part 11 - Custom Shepard 4 Editing Head: fav.me/d7o25jn
Part 12 - Custom Shepard 5 Finishing Shepard: fav.me/d7ofozv


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