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Alternate NPC and PC portraits... just because! :P

Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
edited December 2013 in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
Formerly Alternate NPC and PC portraits... because I'm bored with no BG:EE to play. :P and later
...because I'm bored while waiting for more patches to come out


BIG FAT EDIT on 02.12.2013
Adding information on the first page for ease of finding it:
How to use portraits:
Make sure that they are properly sized and named - the name has to have less than 8 characters, and end with letters L, M, S, for sizes 210x330, 169x266 and 54x84 respectively. Also make sure that they are saved as .bmp files with 24bit color depth.

Once you have the portraits appropriately formatted and named, you need to put them in My documents\Baldur's Gate - Enhanced Edition\Portraits folder. If there's no 'Portraits' folder in this location, just create one.
Once there's a 'Portrait' folder with some portraits in it, the 'custom portrait' button in the character creation screen will appear, and you can pick your custom pics under it.
There's an exception - if your pics are named after existing NPCs (NeeraL, BranweL, MontarL, XanL, etc (note that longer names are shortened)), the game treats them as default portraits for those NPCs. They will replace the original ones in-game, and they'll be available among the default pic selection, instead of the original ones.

About our dropbox: Apparently, the thread regarding it got deleted because of several cases of plagiarism. The dropbox itself still is out there, though. I hope this link works: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gsn24bgwwu0gyqw/bV-5phrjwu login: tc@hotmail.com, password: dropbox
Remember to COPY pics from the dropbox. If you just drag them to a folder on your HDD, they will be removed from the dropbox and noone else will be able to use them.

BIG FAT EDIT on 14.03.2013
Adding information on the first page for ease of finding it:
For those of you who want to use any of my portraits: I uploaded them to @TiaxRulesAll dropbox. (Read his thread http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/8413/bgee-custom-portraits-dropbox-lets-compile-them-all-here-1300-sets-now-with-soundsets-section/p1 to learn how to get them). Folder with my pics is named 'Portraits (Syntia13)'. Below you'll find a chart with subtitled portraits - if you like one, go to the aforementioned dropbox and search the aforementioned folder for 3 files with names corresponding with the subtitle of your chosen pic. Have fun! :)

image

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ORIGINAL POST:

Just as it says on the [former] title. I suffer for want of my game, so I'll make sure you'll suffer, you'll ALL suffer, MWAHHAHAHHA! And I'll do so with 'art'. As I am an avid fan of the BG2 portrait style, I'm trying for getting as close to it as I can, but, yeah, it's not exactly easy, and I'm no artist, so, you've been warned. I'm going to keep posting more pictures as I make 'em. Here is one new and a few you might have already seen posted on a different thread (put here just for the sake of completion). If after I'm done with all the BG1 NPC portraits BG:EE still isn't out, I'm gonna scar you all even more with my pet project - pictures of what would they all look like after putting on that innocent looking, unidentified magical girdle. ]:D
I'll start gently:

Alternate Viconia - features changed to fit more with what Jaheira's and Aerie's pics established as elvish features. Skin color changed because I like black drows better than blue drows (although from the description someone posted, the drow skin does have a purple or blue tone to it, so the original pic isn't wrong, per se, it just isn't to my taste). Cloak and sky color changed just because. :) Original to the left, tweaked version to the right, for sake of easy comparison.
image

My fav PC, Karrion - glued together from at least five different pictures - hopefully you won't be able see any of Frankenstain's Monster in him. ;)
image

Nathaniel, from the mod. I like this mod, but none of the available pictures were quite appealing enough for me, so I messed with the one I liked best and did this:
image

Lady Malica, the evil halfling. If you care to insult her, do remember - she has darts hidden all over her person, AND her teeth are level with your groin. ]:)
BG1picture edited to get rid of the green light, alter her expression and trim the ears a bit, then a lot of other stuff added. (From the character creation screen, halflings are supposed to 'look mostly like small humans', and it was said elsewhere on the board that they do not, in fact, have pointy ears, but... I like pointy ears! So she has them).
Original to the left, tweaked version to the right, for sake of easy comparison.
image


Post edited by Syntia13 on
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Comments

  • JalilyJalily Member Posts: 4,681
    Very nice pictures! I especially like Lady Malica's portrait.
  • Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
    Another PC, Chaos, chaotic neutral spellcaster. He started as a wild mage, with introduction of Neera he might get upgraded to a sorcerer. (When I first played him, I gave him a recolored picture of Xzar. They have vaguely similar personalities). ;)
    The face is of a model from photo stock at DevArt, armor and cloak from original pictures.
    image

    The same guy, newer version - I guess this is just a second before the above picture was taken, where he already licked off the blood and healed himself. >_>
    Made a mistake of googling 'knife wounds' for reference, and now I'll be getting the images out of my mind for the next month. Do yourself a favor, everyone, and if you want to add any slashes on your PCs' faces, just take a look at Keldorn. o.o
    image
  • Permidion_StarkPermidion_Stark Member Posts: 4,861
    Syntia13 said:

    Put her in a splint mail, because she has no business running around the woods in a see-through/fishnet blouse.

    I think you have been quite successful in capturing the BG2 look. I don't think the BG1 portrait is meant to be fishnet, I think that is supposed to be leather armour.
  • Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
    edited September 2012
    @Jalily - Thank you! :)
    @Talarasha - re:Viconia. Two words. Black leather. I'm sold. :D
    re:Haer-Dalis. ... I... I... I don't know why, since the changes are mostly in coloring and clothing, but I suddenly want to wolf-whistle, but I fear I'd just spit on my monitor, 'cuz of all the drooling. This never happened with Haer-Dalis before. Why do I suddenly want to take him home and love him and pet him and call him George? o.o
    re:Yoshimo - I like the portrait, but not as replacement of Yoshi. I love the sneaky rogue just the way he is. :)
    re: your Imoen is very good. I'm always found something strange about her hair-shape at BG1 portrait... - The ton of hair-gel that must have gone into keeping it to the sides like that, maybe? ;P


    @Permidion_Stark. Thank you, I'm trying. :) I don't know what it is supposed to be, but the texture is really weird, and the color gives an impression of a see-through (though it probably isn't). I prefer to put something more solid looking on her. ;) (And I'm definitely going to play with her hair some more - the left side looks horrid).


    And last one for today (and probably for the next few days).

    Alora - mostly playing with colors and removing the sparklies. Also some ear-trimming, since I think that the artist went a bit overboard with it.
    Original to the left, tweaked version to the right - for easy comparison.

    image
    Post edited by Syntia13 on
  • mch202mch202 Member Posts: 1,455
    1. I like the green hood of Viconia, With the yellow hood she looks like a blonde blueish drow, I always thought she was blonde...

    2. Imoen supposed to be younger than CHARNAME, which is about ~20 years old, so why the hell in her portrait she looks like a +35 year old woman?
  • GrayvieGrayvie Member Posts: 49
    @Syntia13:
    I really like your version of Jaheira. It's going to be a BG1 portrait I will use for her from now on. Great work =).
  • Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
    edited October 2012
    @mch202 1. - thank you! :) 2. - I am inherently unable to tell peoples age from their faces (or anything, really) , so I can't help you there. But my high school friend looked a lot like this when she was seventeen, so, maybe it's just that you're not familiar with this type of face shape/features?

    @Grayvie - Thank you! If you like it, be my guest. :) (Also check the above post again for a newer version, with an ear and tweaked hair).

    And to add something new, have a Coran, everyone:
    image

    I removed the pink light and played with features, but I'm afraid that there's little I can do for this guy. :( I might try to photoshop some model in this picture later... much later.

    And just as curiosity, have a link to the missing links in this picture: http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt347/Syntia13/Baldur s Gate stuff/01CORANevo.png
  • KosonKoson Member Posts: 284
    @Syntia13 Could you (or someone else) alter a bit the Balthazar portrait @Talarasha posted by removing the cross-like tattoo on his forehead and giving him pointy elven ears? I'd really appreciate it as it looks great for an elven/half-elven caster.
  • OperativeNLOperativeNL Member Posts: 146
    I am loving these portraits!
  • JaxsbudgieJaxsbudgie Member Posts: 600
    I never noticed Coran's rounded ears! Perhaps he rounded them himself ... perhaps the ladies would think him more well endowed if they were less pointy, less ... elf like.
  • BrudeBrude Member Posts: 560
    Always wondered: Why does Coran have that weird haircut and that ... stuff on his face? He looks like he's trying to cosplay Robin the Boy Wonder ... and doing it badly.
  • AkerhonAkerhon Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 614
    edited October 2012
    Syntia13 said:


    Alternate Viconia - features changed to fit more with what Jaheira's and Aerie's pics established as elvish features. Skin color changed because I like black drows better than blue drows (although from the description someone posted, the drow skin does have a purple or blue tone to it, so the original pic isn't wrong, per se, it just isn't to my taste). Cloak and sky color changed just because. :) Original to the left, tweaked version to the right, for sake of easy comparison.
    image

    I don't like the color of the coat for this portrait
    Green like Drizzt Do'Urden xD
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    I REALLY like your Jaheira - it makes her elven and it's got nice colors. Maybe I'm a bit dense, but how do we use these in the game (replace Jaheira, etc)?
  • Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
    edited October 2012
    @Koson Here you go, hope you like: :)
    image
    @OperativeNL Thank you! :)
    @Jaxsbudgie Pah! Bullcrap and blasphemy! Everyone knows that ladies love them pointy ears! ;P More probable reason for the lacking pointy tips is some jealous husband with a knife. ];D (The RL reason is, of course, that there were no elves on original BG stuff).
    @Akerhon - "Green like Drizzt Do'Urden xD " Whut? I thought he was wearing black leather? Or was it a purple chainmail? *scratches head*. Either way, green and blue are my fav colors, and blue didn't work with the picture. Too dark, you see.
    @reedmilfam - Thank you muchly! :) Nope, not dense at all. There's no official way to replace NPC portraits (yet). There is, however, a mod - 'alternate NPC portrait pack' (I think that's the full name of it) which replaces the original portraits with new ones. I used to run it, tell it which NPC's portraits I want it to change, and then I'd go to the folder it used for storing its pictures, where I'd swap the mod-portraits for my-portraits.
    ...may sound complicated, but it's not, not really. I just hope that similar mod will be available for BG:EE, otherwise all my hard work will be for noth. ;)
  • KosonKoson Member Posts: 284
    edited October 2012
    @Syntia13 Thanks a lot, is great! Might bother you again in the future (if is not too much to ask) to give him access to different clothing / armor and maybe magically grow some hair ;), but for now with this portrait it looks like I'll recreate my old half-elven conjurer for my first play-through of BGEE.

    @reedmilfam If I remember correctly you could change portraits with Shadowkeeper as well, and think that you could do it yourself by naming the new NPC portraits with the default names and placing them afterwards in the folder the game stored the originals (maybe Override but not sure).
    A quick search provided this link: http://portraits.chosenofmystra.net/npc_portrait_change.html
    Post edited by Koson on
  • DuronDuron Member Posts: 146
    God... I love the blue cloak Vico, bloody awesome, will steal it and add it to Vico in BG2:EE
  • ajwzajwz Member Posts: 4,122
    The problem I have with modified versions of the existing portraits is that regardless of how good and skillfully they are done, because I am so used to the original ones, whenever I look at a modified version, I just think "Photoshop of jaheira" say, rather than Jaheira.
  • DuronDuron Member Posts: 146
    Heh, I don't know, I'd love to see Jaheira from BG 2 with curly hair on the lower ends, that would for me be awesome look for her
  • EpitomyofShynessEpitomyofShyness Member Posts: 113
    @Syntia13 do you think you could make the Jaheira one with the modified armor and hair but not the modified face? I never liked the way they made elves look in BG2, but that armor looks way cooler than the leather boob version from BG1 (although Jaheira's BG1 portrait is one of my favorite originals.) Anyways thanks for making all of these!

    As for Coran, he's a total disaster. Putting some other persons face on that is probably the only way to salvage it.
  • Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
    edited October 2012
    @Koson - Bother me away. I like messing with pictures. :)
    "A quick search provided this link: http://portraits.chosenofmystra.net/npc_portrait_change.html " *facepalm*. Well, of course. Figures I'd do something in a weird and complicated way, when there's a nice easy way to do it. *facepalm again*

    @ajwz - hee, this sounds a lot like my problem with Windows. No matter how spiffy and shiny and modern the new look is, I always say - "gods, that's ugly" - and immediately switch the skin to 'classic windows'. ;)

    @Duron - curly hair, you say? Hmmm....

    @EpitomyofShyness - here you go:
    image
    :)

    Nothing new today, folks, sorry! :( I came back home too late to do any serious pic manipulation. (The one above doesn't count, it took me about 1 minute).
    Post edited by Syntia13 on
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    @Syntia13 - I actually think that your Jaheira (elvish) is better. Is there a way to go a little darker with her hair? It doesn't seem to match the skin color as well, but that might just be me. I also prefer your Alora, as pink hair doesn't do it for me
  • EpitomyofShynessEpitomyofShyness Member Posts: 113
    @Syntia13 thank you so much for the new Jaheira pic! And I just want to clarify, I don't think there's anything wrong with the other one you did, it's far better than her BG2 picture. I just don't like the way elves were made in BG2 period, now that I know how to switch portraits around I'll probably hunt a new one down for Aerie. I'm pretty cool with Viconia, but I like her skin darker (like in your portrait) so I'll definitely be using one that makes her skin tone dark.
  • Awong124Awong124 Member Posts: 2,642
    For some reason Coran's portrait is of some rather ugly dude. He's supposed to be a ladies man, he's not going to attract a lot of women with that face.
  • DuronDuron Member Posts: 146
    I don't know, I myself always liked Jaheira portrait from part 2 over part 1. Most of portraits in part 2 were better for my taste.

    There are exceptions of course. Minsc from part 1 is better imo, Imoen also. She looked... well, to weird for me in part 2, will 100% take her part one skin into part 2. Edwin from part one looked like a fucking awesome mage. Part 2 was just... BLAH, to much crap on his face.
  • EpitomyofShynessEpitomyofShyness Member Posts: 113
    @Syntia13 I ahve another request if it isn't too much of a bother.

    I like Imoen's face from BG2, however the frown and scar are obviously due to her time being tortured by Irenicus. Think you could tweak her face to make her smile and get rid of the scar? Or did someone already do that? If anyone knows of something like this could they link me to save Syntia13 the trouble of making it? :-)
  • Syntia13Syntia13 Member Posts: 514
    edited October 2012
    @reedmilfam - changing hair color from light to dark is fairly easy (the other way round is trickier). I'll put it on my 'to do' list. :) About Alora - I think her hair actually isn't pink - she's just standing under a pink neon light, or something (most of BG1 NPC suffer from 'neon light syndrome'). ;)
    Also I prefer everyone in BG2 to BG1 - the BG2 style is perfect to me. :)

    @EpitomyofShyness - Your welcome and don't worry, while I personally love BG2 elves, I get that everyone has their own tastes which don't have to overlap with mine. :) If you want suggestion for Aerie, I think this portrait by Enkida is nice: http://enkida.deviantart.com/art/BG2-NPC-Tashia-283500825?q=gallery:enkida/33798575&qo=16. For Viconia in many flavors, check this: http://syntia13.deviantart.com/art/Viconia-of-many-colors-317148574?q=gallery:syntia13/4175531&qo=8 . (Or just google her - Vicci is a very popular photoshop subject. ;)
    Regarding Imoen - there is a portrait pack that removes scars from ALL BG2 NPCs, even Keldorn. Here: http://www.gibberlings3.net/nmbeauty/index.php . I haven't seen a smiling BG2 Imoen anywhere. Removing scars is relatively easy. Changing facial expression is tricky business. I might give it a shot, but I can't guarantee results.

    @Awong124 - Yep, not the handsomest guy around. And not even a littlest bit elvish. I find it amusing that BG1 halflings look more like elves than actual BG1 elves do. :)

    @Brude
    Brude said:

    Always wondered: Why does Coran have that weird haircut and that ... stuff on his face? He looks like he's trying to cosplay Robin the Boy Wonder ... and doing it badly.

    Teeheee! I think the green thing is a tattoo - Kivan has tottoo-ed face as well, so I assume it's an elf thing?
    @Duron BG2 portraits rule supreme! ;D (I agree that Edwin looked more badass in BG1, but Imoen I much prefer in BG2 rendition).
This discussion has been closed.

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