gfx.pck and editing effects for weapons

[vocalstud69]

I'm trying to merge the Rank 8 MG weapon's lightning effect with an edited .dds from another magic sword, but I can't seem to figure out how.

I know the .dds defines the skin that the game overlays, and the .ecm points towards the model skin and the effects to overlay. What I need to know is what do I need to change in order to overlay that effect on that weapon?

This is also a prelude to several other weapons I'm going to be editing around to help my friend in his new private server he's making. I can already edit the .dds, I can open the .ecm in notepad and change the Fx location, but that doesn't seem to work. I'm thinking it might have something more to do with the .bon/.smd/.ski needing to be edited, but I haven't been able to find a way to edit those coherently. Notepad just shows them as gibberish and photoshop can't even open them.

What I've done so far:
1.unpacked gfx.pck and models.pck
2.edited skin I want to fit my tastes

Now I just need to figure out how to add that effect.

I hope I gave enough information for you far more experienced people to help me along. If not, I can post some screenshots and/or clarify any questions that arise.

Thanks!

-Edit: Got the chinese characters inside the .ecm to show up, and I think I figured out which point to which .gfx file, but don't know which I should edit to overlay the effect I want. Any help available?

[MentaL]