Custom Textures Without Photoshop!
Difficulty: Intermediate |
| Category: CS:S > Mapping | Author(s): Starving Hobo |
Okay, this is a tutorial on how to add custom textures to your game without Photoshop. Let's get started =D!
1. Finding a Texture
-----------------------
Now this is the easiest step, so everyone should be able to do it, all it takes is a lil' bit o' googling and some imagination. Once you find a nice JPG image save it to your desktop. Because it fits with my name, I am going to be using this friendly chap.
Refer to screenshot A
Now that we have a picture that we want to put in game, we are going to do just that.
it must be a JPG image.
2. Getting the Tools
-----------------------
These tools are all free, download these:
Visualizer Photo Resize (Free Version) - http://www.snapfiles.com/download/dlvphotoresize.html
WSQ Viewer - http://www.sharewareconnection.com/download-wsq-viewer-from-sharecon.html
VTFTool - http://www.wunderboy.org/sourceapps.php#vtftool
VTFTool has been replaced by VTFEdit BUT I had some problems using that so for this tutorial I am sticking with VTFTool.
Now we have the tools we can put the texture in game!
3. Putting the Texture In Game
------------------------------------
Right, monkey see, monkey do. Follow this and refer to screenshots as they come.
A) Visualizer Photo Resize
-------------------------------
Open up Visualizer Photo Resize and set the path to where you saved the image (desktop). once you have set it like I have done, hit "Preview"
Refer to screenshot B
Okay, now we want to change it's size so that it is in a format which can be read in Counter Strike, do as I have done in the screenshot below:
Refer to screenshot C
Hit "User Defined" and a menu box will pop up, set the aspect ratio to "1:1 - Square" and then type 256 in pixel width, MAGIC, the other box fills itself in for you!
Refer to screenshot D
Click "OK" and then hit the save icon which I circled in red in screenshot D. We can overwrite our old image, we don't need it anymore, but if you get all sentimental, save it under a different name.
B) WSQ Viewer
-----------------
Okay this step is easy enough, go into WSQ Viewer, then hit File, and choose "Open Picture..." find your frreshly resized picture and open it.
Great I hear you groan, all it does is show me the picture. Ah yes, but, now hit File, then "Save Picture..." you will notice there is all manner of formats you can save the picture to. We need it as a .tga, so where is says "Save as type:" make sure you set it to .tga. Name it, and then hit save.
C) VTFTool
-------------
Nearly done now!
Where it says *CREATE* on the below, is where you are going to make a folder named "My Textures," the path may differ slightly for some, eg "Valve" instead of "Steam". Those of you who are familiar with installing custom skins, maps or whatever should be used to this kind of path.
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/counter-strike source/cstrike/materials/*CREATE*
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/sourcesdk_content/cstrike/materialsrc/*CREATE*
Don't get creative, both folder names must match. We should now have:
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/counter-strike source/cstrike/materials/My Textures
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/sourcesdk_content/cstrike/materialsrc/My Textures
Right, remember that .tga file we created? Put that in:
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/sourcesdk_content/cstrike/materialsrc/My Textures
Now we are ready to make our VTF and VMT files.
Open VTFTool, it's quite a neat looking tool. We are going to need to click the "..." buttons which I have boxed in red:
Refer to screenshot E
Click the top one, and browse to:
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/sourcesdk_content/cstrike/materialsrc/My Textures
Click your "My Textures" folder and then hit okay.
Now click the bottom one, and browse to:
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/counter-strike source/cstrike/materials/My Textures
Click your "My Textures" folder and then hit okay.
Under VTFTool options, choose "LightMappedGeneric" instead of "VertexLit" (it's on the main window)
Phew, almost finished!
In VTFTool, hit File, then "Convert to VTF..." then "File..." open your .TGA file.
Hit "Let's Go!" at the bottom, and wait a very short time for it to finish creating the files.
In the text box, it will show "Converted: OK!"
Close VTFTool.
4. Finishing Off
------------------
This is the final step! Browse to:
C:/Program Files/Steam/Steamapps/*username*/counter-strike source/cstrike/materials/My Textures
See the *yourtexturename*.VMT file?! Right, open that with notepad, it should have something in it like this:
"LightMappedGeneric"
{
"$baseTexture" "*yourtexturename*"
}
Change it like so:
"LightMappedGeneric"
{
"$baseTexture" "MyTextures/*yourtexturename*"
}
Save it! WE ARE DONE! You can pop the champagne and pull the party crackers! NICE!
5. Recap
----------
In this tutorial you have learnt how to put a texture into a game and make them available in Hammer to use in your maps. If you want to build the textures into the map so that others can see it, get "pakrat," try google or something, it is a really useful tool, and saves you from the troubles of creating .res files and the likes. Enjoy your new texture!
http://www.fpsbanana.com/tuts/3552 - Pakrat tutorial
Refer to screenshot F
-Starving Hobo
|
| Added: 3 months ago | Tags: custom, texture, texturing, counter, strike, source, material, vmt, vtf |
|
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