Custom Menu Background in wc3

[Furby]

Custom Menu Background in wc3

by FURBY

Preface:

I was just looking through my folders and stumbled over this unfinished tutorial I once started. So I wanted to finish it and post it here.
This tutorial is about changing or replacing the backround of your main menu in Warcraft III TFT or ROC (doesn't matter, you can change both). Exactly what I mean is the "frozen throne on the background" or "attacked country"(in ROC). We're going to change TFT background.


Required Tools:

WinMPQ


Step 1:

Install and open WinMPQ. Press File and Open [Ctrl + O].




Step 2:

Find the file war3x.mpq in your Warcraft III directory and open it.




Step 3:

Find the file MainMenu3d_exp.mdx in list of files. The exact path is UI\Glues\MainMenu\MainMenu3d_exp\MainMenu3d_exp.mdx. Right click on the file and Rename (we are doing this in possibility that you will want to change the backround back or as a simple backup, is good if you keep the old name, because you will need it in one of the last steps). I added there -ORIGINAL. Exactly to this one: UI\Glues\MainMenu\MainMenu3d_exp\MainMenu3d_exp-ORIGINAL.mdx.




Step 4:

Here comes the fun part - What background to choose? You are able to add any background from the campaigns of Warcraft III TFT or ROC. Also, you can add the background from ROC to TFT (here you must go to war3.mpq and extract the background from there). I chose "Campaign for Undeads" in TFT (Arthas with frostmourne standing on ground). The paths of Campaign's backgrounds are UI\Glues\SinglePlayer\RACE_exp\RACE_exp.mdx and UI\Glues\SinglePlayer\RACE\RACE.mdx for ROC (war3.mpq). Don't be confused with the many files in the directory, just find one with a .mdx suffix. Mine is UI\Glues\SinglePlayer\Undead3D_Exp\Undead3D_Exp.mdx. Extract it to anywhere.




Step 5:

Press MPQ and Add [Ctrl + A]. Find your extracted file, mine is Undead3D_Exp.mdx. And press Open. Now it will ask you what path to the file you want to add. Add there the exact path what we had as normal background: UI\Glues\MainMenu\MainMenu3d_exp\MainMenu3d_exp.mdx. And press OK.




Step 6:

Now the file with the name UI\Glues\MainMenu\MainMenu3d_exp\MainMenu3d_exp.mdxUndead3D_Exp.mdx will appear. We must change the name of it by removing the part, exactly: Undead3D_Exp.mdx, so the result will be: UI\Glues\MainMenu\MainMenu3d_exp\MainMenu3d_exp.mdx. Now simply exit WinMPQ. You can delete your extracted file.




Result:



That's all! Now you can check your new background out.
Sorry for my poor English.

[PitzerMike]

Nice tutorial.
Please attach the images to your post instead of linking to offsite images, so I can approve this.

[akolyt0r]

There is another way ..where you dont need to change anything in your mpqs...
Allow Local Files has to be activated therefore

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III]
"Allow Local Files"=dword:00000001

save that code to an *.txt-file rename it to *.reg and import it (doubleclick).

then put the menubackground you want to use in the folder:
"%Your Warcraft III Directory%\UI\glues\MainMenu\"
and rename it to "mainmenu3d_exp.mdx"
ur done.

Add that Possibility to your Tutorial
I also added some Backgrounds i already extracted..as attachment
some miss though (e.g. arthas and rexxar)
maybe add an complete pack to your Tutorial

my favorite: Lich ....just roxx!

[Furby]

I am sorry I late..
All pictures attached to the thread.

Originally Posted by akolyt0r

There is another way ..where you dont need to change anything in your mpqs...
Allow Local Files has to be activated therefore

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Blizzard Entertainment\Warcraft III]
"Allow Local Files"=dword:00000001

save that code to an *.txt-file rename it to *.reg and import it (doubleclick).

then put the menubackground you want to use in the folder:
"%Your Warcraft III Directory%\UI\glues\MainMenu\"
and rename it to "mainmenu3d_exp.mdx"
ur done.

Add that Possibility to your Tutorial
I also added some Backgrounds i already extracted..as attachment
some miss though (e.g. arthas and rexxar)
maybe add an complete pack to your Tutorial

my favorite: Lich ....just roxx!

Well, make your own tutorial.

[Kwah]

Or . . . combine them?

[azwraith_ftL]

This is sooo cool, I changed my background to RoC's Undead Campaign. +rep

[Furby]

Originally Posted by azwraith_ftL

This is sooo cool, I changed my background to RoC's Undead Campaign. +rep

That's what it was created for. ;)

[midiway]

if don't want all the hassle of the process described here, check my tool which automate all this thing

[Sancho]

is there an alternative for mac? my pc is broken so im stuck with a macbook.

[holyadvocate]

These need to be updated, messed around with this and now I cant open Warcraft III.... and I dont have my CD key, so I cant reinstall

Fucking asshole

EDIT: Thanks to my own competence, I have fixed the problem...

[akolyt0r]

Originally Posted by holyadvocate

These need to be updated, messed around with this and now I cant open Warcraft III.... and I dont have my CD key, so I cant reinstall

Fucking asshole

EDIT: Thanks to my own competence, I have fixed the problem...

my way is much safer, since you dont have to change anything in your mpqs ... check my post somewhere above.

[Tac]

I actually tried this 5 years later on Windows 8 and Warcraft Patch 1.26 and I write my experiences up here for potential other dudes out there:

I used the first way of Furby with WinMPQ but that just deleted my Background, so I got a black Background and couldn't change it. (I think something got changed through a patch or something)
Then I tried akolyt0r's way with the .reg and the local File and it worked properly.

So thanks for that hint and I hope there are some others, that still play Warcraft 3