# Maps - Skyboxes

## Preparation

Locate your game folder and find this folder if you are on Origin:

> Origin Games\Titanfall2\vpk\\

Or this folder if you are on Steam:

> Steam\steamapps\common\Titanfall2\vpk\\

Copy these files and paste them in a backup folder somewhere else:

`englishclient_mp_`**`<<mapname>>`**`.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk`

`client_mp_`**`<<mapname>>`**`.bsp.pak000_000.vpk`

{% hint style="danger" %}
Make sure to make a Backup of every single Map you edit, Since every map has it's own VPK.
{% endhint %}

You will need the Titanfall VPK Tool, a program which allows you to open and repack Titanfall VPK files. It can be found in the Modding Tools page

{% content-ref url="../../intro/duction/tools" %}
[tools](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/intro/duction/tools)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Unpacking

Now that these files have been backed up and everything is installed. Navigate to your game folder and open this file:

`Origin Games\Titanfall2\vpk\englishclient_mp_`**`<<mapname>>`**`.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk`

{% content-ref url="../../intro/duction/vpk-packpack" %}
[vpk-packpack](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/intro/duction/vpk-packpack)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Editing

Navigate to this location in your extracted folder

`\models\vistas`

This folder contains the models for the skyboxes and scene elements. Edit those files at your own risk.

{% content-ref url="../../documentation/textures/skybox-basics" %}
[skybox-basics](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/textures/skybox-basics)
{% endcontent-ref %}

The only working Skybox is the extraction scene named `planet_blue_sun.mdl` which is present in every `\models\vistas` directory (except live fire maps, excluding deck). Because it is mandatory for the successful extraction phase process of every map.

To swap skyboxes simply duplicate `planet_blue_sun.mdl` and rename the duplicate to the name of the skybox of the map.

![duplicate "planet\_blue\_sun.mdl"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8fa21fc5d07a51bc9ced7a9e19d075d9954018e2%2Fstep%201.PNG?alt=media)

![rename the duplicate](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-811fd088c8d7c1b5afc05a376943ca5266d1227e%2Fstep%202.PNG?alt=media)

![delete the original skybox](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-a83722aa80e3357062e00ba5c85b4aca15659658%2Fstep%203.PNG?alt=media)

#### Exceptions

{% hint style="warning" %}
Some maps have the ending **\_*****se*** instead of \_ **\_sky**\_. It is the exact same editing process though.

<img src="https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c83581a34faadf4caca3512d9add2960dd8a1137%2Fexception.PNG?alt=media" alt="" data-size="original">

Some maps feature an additional file in the directory. Make sure not to swap the wrong ones.

<img src="https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d07b1d9b7c364a09786d7a10f02321dd06a636e9%2Fexception%201.PNG?alt=media" alt="Don&#x27;t touch &#x22;angel_city_scrolling_uv.mdl&#x22;" data-size="original">

<img src="https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f0eae52add8be7002ad811b640b2730e050b1514%2Fexception%202.PNG?alt=media" alt="Don&#x27;t touch &#x22;timeshift_warm_se.mdl&#x22;" data-size="original">
{% endhint %}

#### What ***NOT*** to do

{% hint style="danger" %}
Removing the Files will result in the disappearing of the skybox.

<img src="https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-8337878e388f741ffc5487e5ca85642bcd31cb5d%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.01%20-%2017.23.57.22.png?alt=media" alt="No skybox on Kodai" data-size="original">
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
Renaming other [skyboxes ](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/textures/skybox-basics)to the existing ones of the map and replacing them leads to the textures not loading in, since they are applied via a script, which is not in the VPK itself.

<img src="https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-7691c62db94caaf8e73eb96a150fdfc34fad7a1b%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.01%20-%2017.07.41.44.png?alt=media" alt="Kodai Skybox on Glitch" data-size="original">
{% endhint %}

The reason behind this not working is because the textures are not applied via a VPK. Every map has a different VPK. Textures that are not normally on the map stay missing because the script applying them does not apply them there. Once we figured out how to edit `.rpak` files changing actual [skyboxes ](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/textures/skybox-basics)becomes a possibility.

## Examples

Obviously this wasn't made to be the skybox for normal maps. So there are little errors all around the place.

**Note that the old scene lights are still present and might look a little out of place on some maps.**

{% embed url="<https://gfycat.com/alldecisivefinwhale>" %}

![Kodai with "mat\_sky\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5;mat\_sun\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f41b5a8dd003931346f41967ebb1b8e0fb312db6%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.05%20-%2017.44.46.45.png?alt=media)

![Glitch with"mat\_sky\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5;mat\_sun\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-47f2fd6d35397442236a113e56c063be0358019f%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.05%20-%2017.46.24.61.png?alt=media)

![Homestead with "mat\_sky\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5;mat\_sun\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-93a86bbe008a117475e78fb3e37808cd9e74540a%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.05%20-%2017.18.16.92.png?alt=media)

**Note that the \_ENTIRE**\_\*\* surrounding scenery disappears.\*\*

![Angel City with "mat\_sky\_color 0 0 0; mat\_sun\_color 0 0 0"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-11fc5066294fa78cad00701992c29b92cbd5034d%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.04%20-%2018.47.58.92.png?alt=media)

![Drydock with"mat\_sky\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5;mat\_sun\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ecb63543bf7f3e444db1d80fd8dad0d5ba7d7d98%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.05%20-%2017.27.28.28.png?alt=media)

![Complex with "mat\_sky\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5;mat\_sun\_color 0.5 0.5 0.5"](https://3680263823-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LPXG6BIVWwbrvVSOiBw-887967055%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9177fa4d7ff3488060705e0214566f188cdca12b%2FDesktop%20Screenshot%202020.03.05%20-%2017.20.31.33.png?alt=media)

## Repacking

{% content-ref url="../../intro/duction/vpk-packpack" %}
[vpk-packpack](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/intro/duction/vpk-packpack)
{% endcontent-ref %}

After closely following the previous link step by step:

Rename `pak000_000.vpk` *to* **`client_mp_`** **`<<mapname>>`** **`.bsp.pak000_000.vpk`**

Rename `pak000_dir.vpk` *to* **`englishclient_mp_`** **`<<mapname>>`** **`.bsp.pak000_dir.vpk`**

{% hint style="danger" %}
Make sure to pay attention when renaming them because every map has it's own VPK.
{% endhint %}

Place both of the renamed files back into your game directory and then launch Titanfall 2. You should be able to see the changed [skybox](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/textures/skybox-basics)!

{% content-ref url="../../documentation/textures/skybox-basics" %}
[skybox-basics](https://noskill.gitbook.io/titanfall2/documentation/textures/skybox-basics)
{% endcontent-ref %}