How to make .vl2 files!
It took me forever to finally figure all this information out, and I'd imagine it would take a long time for you guys to as well. So to cut down on that time, I'm here to make a guide on how to make your own .vl2 files for skins, but with just that information, you should be able to figure it out from there. 
[Please note that I only go through how to make the .vl2, and how to put .png files for your warrior in them.]
Now first off, you are going to need WinRAR. (or some other similar program, I've only tried it with WinRAR) You can get it here:
[ftp=ftp://http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm]http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm[/ftp]
Now, the first thing you need to know is: All a .vl2 file is is a .zip file, sugar-coated with [glow=red,2,300]fanciness[/glow].
(which means you can also change .vl2 back to .zip to edit them) So to make a .vl2 file, go to the address you it in (not your house, btw. :P), right click, and make a new .zip file. Put everything in it (the process of doing so will be explained further down), close down WinRAR, and rename the file type (.zip) to .vl2.
Okay, now for the detailed explanation of putting skin files (for a warrior) into the game.
Step 1: Get some .png files from somewhere that you want as a skin. (Yes, they need to be .png)
My recommandation for .png files and many other great Tribes II modifications:
[ftp=ftp://http://xfer1.the-construct.net/tribes2/textures/skins/]http://xfer1.the-construct.net/tribes2/textures/skins/[/ftp]
Step 2: Get WinRAR from the link posted above, go to the address you want your file to be (I suggest making the .vl2 file in a different location, then move it to the gamedata/base folder), right click, hit "New", and click "WinRAR ZIP Archive". Name the file to "[The name you want].zip" (Don't rename it to .vl2 yet.) (the .vl2 file's name is not the name that will show up in-game. The .png file's name is what shows up in-game. PLEASE DO NOT RENAME THE .png!).
Step 3: Right click on the desktop, hit "New" again, then click "Folder". Rename the folder to "Textures". Open the folder, and repeat the process, but rename this folder to "skins". Then go to your .png files, and drag them into the "skins" folder.
(For derms: [name].lbioderm.png; [name].mbioderm.png; [name].hbioderm.png.
For human males: [name].lmale.png; [name].mmale.png; [name].hmale.png.
For human females: [name].lfemale.png; [name].mfemale.png; [name].hmale.png.)
Step 4: Drag your "Textures" folder into the .zip file you made, and then rename the extension from .zip to .vl2.
Step 5: Delete the folder you made on the desktop after you've moved everything, and move your new .vl2 file to your Gamedata/base folder.
Step 6: Open Tribes II and go to the character customization tab, and make sure your skin is there.
Step 7: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP......... [glow=red,2,300]ENJOY YOUR NEW SKINS!!!![/glow] 8)
[Please note that I only go through how to make the .vl2, and how to put .png files for your warrior in them.]
Now first off, you are going to need WinRAR. (or some other similar program, I've only tried it with WinRAR) You can get it here:
[ftp=ftp://http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm]http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm[/ftp]
Now, the first thing you need to know is: All a .vl2 file is is a .zip file, sugar-coated with [glow=red,2,300]fanciness[/glow].
(which means you can also change .vl2 back to .zip to edit them) So to make a .vl2 file, go to the address you it in (not your house, btw. :P), right click, and make a new .zip file. Put everything in it (the process of doing so will be explained further down), close down WinRAR, and rename the file type (.zip) to .vl2.Okay, now for the detailed explanation of putting skin files (for a warrior) into the game.
Step 1: Get some .png files from somewhere that you want as a skin. (Yes, they need to be .png)
My recommandation for .png files and many other great Tribes II modifications:
[ftp=ftp://http://xfer1.the-construct.net/tribes2/textures/skins/]http://xfer1.the-construct.net/tribes2/textures/skins/[/ftp]
Step 2: Get WinRAR from the link posted above, go to the address you want your file to be (I suggest making the .vl2 file in a different location, then move it to the gamedata/base folder), right click, hit "New", and click "WinRAR ZIP Archive". Name the file to "[The name you want].zip" (Don't rename it to .vl2 yet.) (the .vl2 file's name is not the name that will show up in-game. The .png file's name is what shows up in-game. PLEASE DO NOT RENAME THE .png!).
Step 3: Right click on the desktop, hit "New" again, then click "Folder". Rename the folder to "Textures". Open the folder, and repeat the process, but rename this folder to "skins". Then go to your .png files, and drag them into the "skins" folder.
(For derms: [name].lbioderm.png; [name].mbioderm.png; [name].hbioderm.png.
For human males: [name].lmale.png; [name].mmale.png; [name].hmale.png.
For human females: [name].lfemale.png; [name].mfemale.png; [name].hmale.png.)
Step 4: Drag your "Textures" folder into the .zip file you made, and then rename the extension from .zip to .vl2.
Step 5: Delete the folder you made on the desktop after you've moved everything, and move your new .vl2 file to your Gamedata/base folder.
Step 6: Open Tribes II and go to the character customization tab, and make sure your skin is there.
Step 7: THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP......... [glow=red,2,300]ENJOY YOUR NEW SKINS!!!![/glow] 8)
Comments
EDIT: It'll be WAY longer because of school. Nag me enough about it and ill probably get in done during the summer
change it to .zip, unzip it, r-click, add to archive (zip it up again), in the file names options change it to a .vl2 file. if this doesn't work make sure in properties somewhere that your system is able to make vl2 files.