Metin2 Private Server: How to Add a Custom Costume or Armor (Complete Guide)

How to Add a Custom Costume or Armor to Your Metin2 Private Server

Costumes and armors in Metin2 require changes on both the client (model files, textures, .msm ShapeData blocks, item_proto client) and the server (item_proto.txt, item_names.txt). The most common source of errors is the ShapeIndex — a number that must match between item_proto value3 and the .msm file.

Use the MSM Extractor to inspect existing ShapeData blocks in your .msm files before writing new entries.

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What You Need

• WinSCP access to your server
• A client unpacker: EterManager, Eternexus, or EterPack Archiver
• A .tga icon file
• A .gr2 model file + Granny Viewer
• One or more .dds / .tga texture files

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Part I — Client Side

Step 1 — Unpack the Required Packs

Unpack these client packs:

• locale_xx
• icon
• root (contains the .msm files)
• pc, pc2, and pc3 (pc3 is for Lycan)

Step 2 — Place the Item Icon

Copy your icon in .tga format into icon/item/.

Step 3 — Place the .gr2 Model

Place the costume/armor model under the appropriate character pack. For a body costume, the path typically follows:

d:/ymir work/pc/warrior/costume/dragon_body.gr2
d:/ymir work/pc/assassin/costume/dragon_body.gr2

You need a separate model (or the same shared one) referenced from each race's .msm file.

Step 4 — Find and Place Textures

Open the .gr2 in Granny Viewer → TextureList. Place your texture file at exactly the path shown — same folder, same filename. For armors and costumes, the texture files are typically inside the pc / pc2 / pc3 packs.

Step 5 — Edit the .msm Files (ShapeData)

This step is required for all armors, costumes, and hairstyles. The .msm files are in the root pack. Each file corresponds to a class + gender:

File	Character
warrior_m.msm	Warrior (Male)
warrior_w.msm	Warrior (Female)
assassin_m.msm	Ninja (Male)
assassin_w.msm	Ninja (Female)
sura_m.msm	Sura (Male)
sura_w.msm	Sura (Female)
shaman_m.msm	Shaman (Male)
shaman_w.msm	Shaman (Female)
wolf_m.msm	Wolfman / Lycan

Upload your .msm files to the MSM Extractor to view existing ShapeData entries and pick a free ShapeIndex. Then add your new block to each race file:

Group ShapeData
{
  ShapeDataCount 2

  Group ShapeData0
  {
    ShapeIndex    1
    Model         "d:/ymir work/pc/warrior/costume/dragon_body.gr2"
    SourceSkin    "d:/ymir work/pc/warrior/body/warrior_body_d.dds"
    TargetSkin    "d:/ymir work/pc/warrior/costume/dragon_body_d.dds"
  }

  Group ShapeData1
  {
    ShapeIndex    2
    ...
  }
}

Key rules:

• ShapeIndex must match value3 in item_proto — this is the link between item and visual
• ShapeDataCount must equal the total number of ShapeDataN groups (existing + new)
• Group numbering must be sequential: ShapeData0, ShapeData1, ... — no gaps
• Repeat for every race file the costume supports

Step 6 — Regenerate Client item_proto

Run Dump Proto on your updated server item_proto.txt + item_names.txt and place the output in locale_xx. Do this after completing Part II.

Step 7 — Update item_list.txt

Add a line in item_list.txt (in locale_xx). For armor/costume, leave the .gr2 path empty — the model is driven by the .msm ShapeData, not item_list.txt:

COSTUME[TAB]icon/item/dragon_costume.tga[TAB]

Step 8 — Repack

Repack locale_xx, icon, root, and all pc packs.

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Part II — Server Side

Step 1 — Add Display Name (item_names.txt)

85001[TAB]Dragon Costume

Step 2 — Configure item_proto.txt

Add a row for your costume. Critical columns:

Column	Value	Notes
ITEM (vnum)	85001	Must be < 65536
ITEM_NAME(KR)	DragonCostume	Internal name
ITEM_TYPE (type)	ITEM_COSTUME	Must be ITEM_COSTUME
SUB_TYPE (subtype)	COSTUME_BODY	See subtype table below
ITEM_WEAR (wearflag)	WEAR_COSTUME_BODY	Must match subtype
value3	1	ShapeIndex — must match .msm block
LIMIT_TYPE0	LEVEL	Optional level requirement
LIMIT_VALUE0	0	0 = no level requirement
SPECULAR	50	Model brightness

Costume Subtypes and Wearflags

SUB_TYPE	ITEM_WEAR (wearflag)	Description
COSTUME_BODY (0)	WEAR_COSTUME_BODY	Armor skin costume
COSTUME_HAIR (1)	WEAR_COSTUME_HAIR	Hairstyle costume
COSTUME_WEAPON (2)	WEAR_COSTUME_WEAPON	Weapon skin costume
COSTUME_ACCE (3)	WEAR_COSTUME_ACCE	Sash / Acce
COSTUME_MOUNT (4)	WEAR_COSTUME_MOUNT	Mount costume

For regular (non-costume) armor, use ITEM_ARMOR as the type and ARMOR_BODY as subtype with WEAR_BODY as wearflag. The value3/ShapeIndex still applies.

Armor Value Fields

Field	Meaning
value1	Defense (final defense = value1 + value5 × 2)
value3	ShapeIndex — links item to .msm ShapeData block
value5	Defense bonus (added to value1 formula)

Step 3 — Test In-Game

1. Restart server (or reload item_proto)
2. Deploy updated .msm files and model/texture assets to the client pack
3. Spawn the costume: /i 85001
4. Equip it and verify the visual model changes correctly on each race you added ShapeData for

Common Errors

• Costume equips but no visual change — ShapeIndex in item_proto value3 does not match the .msm ShapeData block
• Works on one race, invisible on others — .msm not updated for all race files
• Client crash on equip — .gr2 path in ShapeData block wrong or file missing from pack
• ShapeDataCount wrong — must equal the total number of ShapeDataN groups after your addition
• Numbering gap — ShapeData0 + ShapeData2 with no ShapeData1 causes the parser to stop early
• Left .gr2 path in item_list.txt — for armor/costume, leave the .gr2 column empty; the model comes from .msm

Related Tools

• MSM Extractor — upload .msm files, view all ShapeData blocks, find a free ShapeIndex, download per-character
• Item Proto Editor — edit item_proto in a spreadsheet view, export TXT or SQL
• TXT ↔ SQL Converter — convert item_proto between TXT and SQL formats