Coppermine Next Generation is looking good, thanks & best of luck in the future! This is how I added custom smilies; copy the images (overwrite) @ ./cpgNG/images/smiles & use your Dreamweaver to alter the code accordingly,
globally.
Search and replace (first line is old code, second line is new code; repeat for all):
icon_lol.gif" alt=" :lol:" width="15" height="15"
icon_lol.gif" alt=" :lol:" width="20" height="20"
icon_razz.gif" alt=" :-P" width="15" height="15"
icon_razz.gif" alt=" :-P" width="20" height="20"
icon_biggrin.gif" alt=" :-D" width="15" height="15"
icon_biggrin.gif" alt=" :-D" width="20" height="20"
icon_smile.gif" alt=" :-)" width="15" height="15"
icon_smile.gif" alt=" :-)" width="20" height="20"
icon_neutral.gif" alt=" :-|" width="15" height="15"
icon_neutral.gif" alt=" :-|" width="20" height="20"
icon_sad.gif" alt=" :-(" width="15" height="15"
icon_sad.gif" alt=" :-(" width="20" height="20"
icon_cry.gif" alt=" :cry:" width="15" height="15"
icon_cry.gif" alt=" :cry:" width="20" height="20"
icon_cool.gif" alt=" 8-)" width="15" height="15"
icon_cool.gif" alt=" 8-)" width="20" height="20"
icon_surprised.gif" alt=" :-o" width="15" height="15"
icon_surprised.gif" alt=" :-o" width="20" height="20"
icon_confused.gif" alt=" :-?" width="15" height="15"
icon_confused.gif" alt=" :-?" width="20" height="20"
icon_redface.gif" alt=" :oops:" width="15" height="15"
icon_redface.gif" alt=" :oops:" width="20" height="20"
icon_eek.gif" alt=" :shock:" width="15" height="15"
icon_eek.gif" alt=" :shock:" width="20" height="20"
icon_mad.gif" alt=" :-x" width="15" height="15"
icon_mad.gif" alt=" :-x" width="20" height="20"
icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=" :roll:" width="15" height="15"
icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=" :roll:" width="20" height="20"
icon_wink.gif" alt=" ;-)" width="15" height="15"
icon_wink.gif" alt=" ;-)" width="20" height="20"
icon_idea.gif" alt=" :idea:" width="15" height="15"
icon_idea.gif" alt=" :idea:" width="20" height="20"
icon_exclaim.gif" alt=" :!:" width="15" height="15"
icon_exclaim.gif" alt=" :!:" width="20" height="20"
icon_question.gif" alt=" :?:" width="15" height="15"
icon_question.gif" alt=" :?:" width="19" height="19"
Smilies replaced in code:
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_lol.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_razz.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_biggrin.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_smile.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_neutral.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_sad.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_cry.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_cool.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_surprised.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_confused.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_redface.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_eek.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_mad.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_rolleyes.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_wink.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_idea.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_exclaim.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_question.gif)
Smilies not replaced in code (not found??):
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_arrow.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_evil.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_frown.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_mrgreen.gif) (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/asciibinary/Coppermine/icon_twisted.gif)
23 Smilies in total. Hope it helps - I mean, you get the idea how you can change them for yourself now, right?

It isn't
really complete (& far from perfect),
perhaps might update (@ some point)
here.
Regards,
Vladimir