Change Mouse Cursors

Some time ago, someone asked me about changing in-game mouse cursors, apparently because the default cursors are too large when using a huge screen for the game. (I won't know; my screen isn't that big.) In any case, here is a quick guide to changing in-game cursors.

The in-game mouse cursors consist of 19 bitmap (.bmp) files with 32x32 pixels, stored inside ui.ipf file. Transparency in .bmp files is determined by Fuchsia (#FF00FF) color. You can view the cursors themselves by extracting ui.ipf file (or ui00002.ipf file for SEA server).

PART I. CONVERT MOUSE CURSORS
First, you need to convert your cursor (.cur) files into .bmp files, using Fuchsia color to replace transparency. You will need an icon/cursor editor; I use the free IcoFX Portable 🔗 as an example.

1. Start IcoFX Portable. Select File ➢ Import Image, and select the desired cursor (.cur) file.
• The default Windows cursors are found in C:\Windows\cursor folder. 
• You can find more cursors online—DeviantArt: Windows Cursors 🔗, Top 20 Best Mouse Cursors 🔗, RealWorld Graphics: Cursor Library 🔗, etc.
2. Open the cursor sidebar, if it is not already open.
3. Select the image for 32x32 in the cursor sidebar.
4. Change the foreground color to Fuchsia, i.e. the right-most color on the second row of basic colors.
5. Click on Fill tool in the Tools sidebar, and fill the transparent area with Fuchsia.
6. Select File ➢ Export Image, and select Bitmap as the file type. Name it after the cursor you want to replace (e.g. cursor_basic.bmp).

 Repeat the above for every cursor file you want to convert. If you wish to make further changes, simply edit the bitmap files with your image editor.

PART II. ADD CURSORS TO IPF FILE
Now, you need to add the converted .bmp files to ui.ipf file.

1. Download and setup GE Tools.
2. Create a new folder, using ui-USA-mycursor.af as folder name.
• For Europe server, name it ui-DEU-mycursor.af instead. 
• For SEA server, if you are using the ui.ipf from here, name the folder ui-KOR-mycursor.af. If not, name it ui00002-KOR-mycursor.af instead.
3. Create a sub-folder inside it, using cursor as folder name. 
4. Copy all the converted .bmp files into ui-USA-mycursor.af\cursor folder.
5. Run GE Tools. Close the game client first, if it is currently running.
6. Select function 4 (Add Folder To IPF) in GE Tools.
7. Select ui-USA-mycursor.af folder.
8. Input (Y)es to backup ui.ipf file, if desired.