Any Skinning advice available?

[66681d6514a9bImpyNickers]

Hi, been lurking for a good long time. Shock 2 is definitely my favorite game. I am thankful for the community for keeping the game alive, and providing some really awesome models and textures to boot. Not merely content, I wanted to reach into the game and start fiddling with textures.

I have done this by editing some of CyberBlutch's textures. I love the polygons on them models, but especially wish to alter the faces of the characters.
I can do this on a pixel by pixel basis without issue. Fine for editing eyes, but cracking the files open in photoshop and doing real work is only possible when I un-index the file. After doing this then re-indexing it, the game has a strange issue of making all black textures turn invisible. So this wont look correct.
So trying to convert files with Bright183 was one thing I assumed as a possible fix, however it doesn't seem to recognize my bitmaps.
Ill admit that my texturing knowledge is non- existent. So if anyone out there knows better than myself, I would be a happy dude.

[66681d6514d1cvoodoo47]

just save them as pngs and there will be no problem.

[66681d6514ea8Kolya]

One of the colors in the index palette is used for transparency, the last one or the first one, I think it was the first.
However since NewDark v2.4 you can also use PNGs as Voodoo47 pointed out, which don't have to be indexed and hence don't have that problem.

[66681d6514f9cvoodoo47]

one thing you could try your skills on - the rebirth hybrid could use a more "face off" style face texture that would bring it closer to the original.

[66681d65150edImpyNickers]

Thanks for the replies! This makes skinning pretty easy.
@voodoo47 Funny enough the hybrid was what I was playing with, and my aims were to make it closer to the original.

Now, I am not interested in stepping on anyone's toes, does the modification of these textures seem like something I should ask permission for from the original author? Im not sure if CyberBlutch is anywhere to be found these days. If its ok when I am done I would maybe post the reskin in the rebirth thread.

I have also been thinking of modifying the Tacticool weapon skins to be closer to original. The new designs are great, but there are certain visual elements from the original game I would like to pick up on. The Tri-optimum logo on the pistol is the first thing I want to explore/remove from this set.

[66681d65151c9voodoo47]

I doubt you could get in touch with him. as long as you give him credit, it should be ok.