Enables character customization for special soldiers: Shaojie Zhang (Slingshot) and Annette Durand (Enemy Within).

For XCOM Enemy Unknown with Slingshot changelist version 398179 and for XCOM Enemy Within changelist version 402256 and hopefully newer.

Very important note: Tests proved, that mods cause issues with multiplayer connectivity. If you plan to play MP, verify integrity of game cache with Steam (play MP with vanilla game).

I recommend to save the game (or backup Ironman save) before doing the customization. Consider keeping soldier's race, head, voice or language (EW), because you won't be able to select head 0 and voice 0 again.

Zhang's head is tied to an achievement awarded for completing the final mission (Operation Avenger) with him, so if you want to get it, don't touch race or head spinner. In my opinion the achievement could be linked to his body.

• Rising Dragon / Take your new ally (Zhang) into the final challenge.
  

Another important matter is how Firaxis disabled entire customization for special soldiers in XCOM Enemy Unknown. If is the character intended to stay unique, why not to enable other customization like armor deco, tint, helmets and so on? Good news is that XCOM Enemy Within introduced Zhang's and Annette's partial customization. We can change hair color, facial hair (Zhang only), armor deco and armor tint now! On top of that, I'd add nickname and hair/helmet and that's what CSS EW Partial mod does. It even adds voice and skin color for people who like details or dislike presets.

Developers and Firaxis, thank you very very much for hearing our voice.

There are two versions of the mod for Enemy Within:

• Partial - customizable nickname, voice, skin color, hair/helmet, hair color, facial hair (Zhang only), armor deco and armor tint
• Full - customize anything you want
  

Installation
Only file for XCOM Mod Helper is up to date.

• XCOM EU/EW Mod Helper - requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4
• (Outdated file) XCOM ToolBoks - requires Microsoft .NET Framework 4
• (Outdated file) XCPI (XCMM Portable Installer) - requires Java
  

XCOM EU/EW Mod Helper (included in zip archive)

• Download Customizable Special Soldiers EW and unzip.
• Run CSS EU Install.bat to enable customization in XCOM Enemy Unknown.
• Run CSS EW Full Install.bat to enable full scale customization in XCOM Enemy Within.
• Run CSS EW Partial Install.bat to expand partial customization of XCOM Enemy Within.
• Mod Helper will decompress XComStrategyGame.upk and apply changes to it.
• XComStrategyGame.upk.uncompressed_size file will be removed.
• In case of XCOM EU, XComGame.exe will be patched to stop checking XComStrategyGame.upk hash.
  

(Outdated file) XCOM ToolBoks

• Download Customizable Special Soldiers for XCOM ToolBoks
• Download XCOM ToolBoks by bokauk
• Extract files into XCOM ToolBoks' Custom Mods folder.
• Start XCOM ToolBoks, go to Custom Mods tab, click on Load Custom Mod button, select the mod, click Open button, read description and click Install Custom Mod button.
  

(Outdated file) XCPI

• Download Customizable Special Soldiers for XCPI
• Run pinstaller.bat, read description, go to Settings tab and verify or set XCOM installation path, click Install and confirm it by clicking OK. If your game isn't mod ready, decompression dialog appears.
  

Uninstallation

• XCOM EU/EW Mod Helper - Run the corresponding batch file or verify integrity of game cache with Steam.
• XCOM ToolBoks - Start XCOM ToolBoks, go to Custom Mods tab, click on Load Custom Mod button, select mod's uninstall file, click Open button and click Install Custom Mod button.
• XCPI (XCMM Portable Installer) - Run pinstaller.bat and click restore Original button. This will undo any mods for XComStrategyGame. Improving uninstallation feature is on to do list.
  

Modified files

• XComStrategyGame.upk - decompressed, altered
• XComStrategyGame.upk.uncompressed_size - backuped and removed in order to allow loading of uncompressed file
• XCOM EU only - XComGame.exe - altered (formerly updated with info about XComStrategyGame.upk)
• XCOM EU/EW Mod Helper creates XCom-Enemy-UnknownBackup and XCom-Enemy-UnknownXEWBackup folders. Backup also contains Unpacked folder. All these folders can be kept or deleted - depends on you.
  

Troubleshooting

• The mod has to be installed again after every official patch and possibly DLC.
• XCOM EU only - The game will crash, if is XComGame.exe missing info about decompressed and altered XComStrategyGame.upk or still checking its hash. Try to reinstall the mod.
• If the game crashes beyond repair, don't reinstall it. Instead start Steam, right click on XCOM EU in Library and select Properties, go to Local files tab and click Verify integrity of game cache. This will redownload all modified/missing/corrupted files. Run the game to finish patching process and to verify it is working. More info can be found in Steam and mods - Restoring to Vanilla article at Nexus Wiki.
• XCOM EU only - In case of renamed TexMod.exe, the mod won't install properly and the game will crash. Provide original XComGame.exe, install the mod and then do TexMod's executable swap.
• If there's a problem with installation path, you can edit *.bat files and add -x option followed by the path to your installation.
  

XCOMModHelper -c Customizable_Special_Soldiers_EW_Partial_Install.xml -x "s:SteamSteamAppscommonXCom-Enemy-Unknown"
@ECHO OFF
pause

The mod shall work with Steam in online mode and enabled silent patching (phone home).


Change log
Version EW 1.402256a (contains EU 1.398179a) on 10. 3. 2014

• Updated for EW Patch 3.
  

Version EW 1.401776a (contains EU 1.398179a) on 27. 2. 2014

• Updated for EW Patch 2.
  

Version EW 1.398180a (contains EU 1.398179a) on 6. 12. 2013

• Updated for EW Patch 1 and EU Patch 6. Small changes in ReadMe.
  

Version EW 1.394142b (contains EU 1.382855a) on 17. 11. 2013

• Corrected errors in ReadMe.
  

Version EW 1.394142a (contains EU 1.382855a) on 17. 11. 2013

• Updated for XCOM Enemy Within.
  

Version 1.356266a on 28. 10. 2013

• Updated for the 4th patch.
• Updated text description of mod's files.
• Changed version numbering to reflect changelist of the game.
  

Version 1.1 on 8. 1. 2013

• Updated for the 3rd patch.
• Updated text description of mod's files.
  

Version 1.0a on 30. 12. 2012

• Removed phone home text from description of mod's files.
  

Credits and thanks (in no particular order):

• Firaxis Games and 2K Games for XCOM Enemy Unknown
• Eliot van Uytfanghe for EU Explorer
• Konstantin Nosov for Unreal Package Decompressor
• Frank Perks for XCOM Enemy Unknown/Enemy Within Mod Helper
• Daemonjax for XShape
• twinj for XCMM and XCPI
• bokauk for XCOM ToolBoks
• alot of people at the Nexus forums for their insight, ideas and work they've done so XCOM EU modding became possible