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SimCity 4 General Discussion and Tutorials => SimCity 4 General Discussion => General Custom Content Discussion => Topic started by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 08:47:43 PM

Title: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 08:47:43 PM
Are there any good and easy to use texture tutorials here at all? I've been wanting to make my own textures for a project I am working on for Matt and I got them made at the 128x128 starting scale that I seen is needed but I am at loss where to go from there...

Any help would be awesome,

Patrick
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Ryan B. on February 03, 2009, 08:57:45 PM
http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4140.0

^ Give that a shot, Pat.
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 09:01:59 PM
Thanks Ryan I will give it a shot there...

EDIT:  Thanks for the try Ryan I was hoping for more like base textures and overlay, I guess I should have been more clear on it my bad...
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Heblem on February 03, 2009, 09:06:58 PM
its ok pat... once you got your 128x128 texture, open SC4Tool
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2Fa.jpg&hash=116f25e611324bef8c2ed7845df71790d9dd5d57)

Create a new DAT file for the textures...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2Fb.jpg&hash=26c59230992c5f716022e93e17b5d5734d1172cd)

Give the name for the dat file
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2Fc.jpg&hash=1cc5eeba583a05a3e9d80316f7ac861784ea7bb2)

Add a new texture to your dat
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2Fd.jpg&hash=19cfd89a54b9a143f401e6eff03297054f1a86a4)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2Fe.jpg&hash=5960d33f3b7c34955559daa1b2f58e84841d04ba)

A.- Create automatillay an IID for you, its suggested to get your own IID at BSC Texture Index, you can request a range, also you can look at my Fresnillo project on how to sort out the IID's

B.- Search for your 128x128 image

C.- Duplicate your image into the another zooms

d.- You done! you can look at LE if you can see your texture.

Hope that helps  ;)

Edite wrong pics, sorry  &ops

If you want to create overlays, just use an alpha down there, i explained yesterday how to do one in my Fresnillo project
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 09:11:06 PM
Heblem awesome so now when I make the DAT I just name it and find the pngs to use then hit the camera icon and it will automaticly duplicate the images for me?  Would that work the same for overlay textures or is it a bit more hard to do?
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Heblem on February 03, 2009, 09:12:03 PM
yes but don't forget the IID  ;)
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 09:12:53 PM
Sweet thank you a million!!! I wish I could give you a karma point about now for your help!!! You rock my friend!!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 09:53:53 PM
OK I know I need my own IID Range and while I wait for it here is what I played with to test out my textures...

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F2459%2Ftexturetestwl9.jpg&hash=7b6807cb9227ed7541f5fdcba653c1b5dd08a842)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg5.imageshack.us%2Fimg5%2F774%2Ftexturetesttwoel3.jpg&hash=c87f55feaf315de1fdd36bf4e38a127001a40392)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F4374%2Ftexturetestthreefe5.jpg&hash=15d751b16b93be2cf2c44c77e132db500838c038)

again thank you a million Heblem for helping me out and man I never ever knew how easy it was to make a base texture wow!!!
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Heblem on February 03, 2009, 10:30:41 PM
Im glad to hear that Pat  :thumbsup: now try making overlays   ;) its easy as like making these textures
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 10:40:41 PM
now I am hung up on them... is there another step I need to take to get my texture to be an overlay?
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Heblem on February 03, 2009, 10:51:29 PM
oK.. try those textures...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2FCall_co_crucero1.png&hash=01fa89f4aab07e3197c3d8beaaa516a58633f6e1)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2Fcrucero_alpha.png&hash=744f706f271be2526ac553b53b4bb348581fe6a8)

At SC4Tool, repeating the same process with the normal texture and then with the black and white texture:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi490.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr263%2FHeblem_TB%2FF.jpg&hash=cd48d8ae25aa54f5a2babc80afc9de38a33ab748)
A.- look for the black and white texture (called alpha)
B.- Repeat the textures at the camera icon.
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 03, 2009, 10:55:26 PM
OK so I put in the normal texture as I would when doing the base then I click on the alpha portions as well too??? Then presto I will have an overlay texture?
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Heblem on February 03, 2009, 11:11:43 PM
First put the texture as you make a base one, then put the alpha (in same window) and yes you get an overlay  ;)
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Pat on February 04, 2009, 12:07:15 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg16.imageshack.us%2Fimg16%2F1425%2Ftestshotjb4.jpg&hash=dbd0f429d2269a2cc4bb117333284a283bd5177d)

well I made my own alpha base for that overlay and it worked except I see a white line there hmm??? I think I know what I did wrong but I am tired for now but I got the hang of making textures!!! I so owe you a million thanks Heblem!!!
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial
Post by: Diggis on February 04, 2009, 02:25:02 AM
Pat, on the texture IID's it's not as simple as pressing next free IID.  Make sure you browse this thread:

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4843
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 09, 2009, 12:26:51 AM
Thank you Shaun and I did...

I gotten my texture IID range and I even gotten it put into SC4Tool... Now I am having problems understanding about the wealth level situation... I got my textures reworked to my IID range and when I lotted a test lot all the textures where working just fine... OK great that made me happy wooohoo!!! Now when I went into game to test the lot out with my textures all I got was a lot full of my first texture I entered into the DAT...

What I am understanding even from reading what Geoff posted that the BSC Texture Index follows the rule so there should be no problem right? Well what I am confussed about is that the 5th digit shows up as a zero meaning no wealth level at all and these little bits right here,

QuoteIf texture 25a72000 did not exist, 25a74000 would show up properly.

QuoteThis rule applies for all Wealth Levels for both base and overlay textures.  The only way to avoid this happening is to not mix Wealth Level markers 0-3 with 4-f in the same family groups.  (An examination of the Texture Index shows that the standard Maxis textures follow this rule.)

So would that mean that I shouldn't press the next free ID???  I dunno maybe I think I just overstepped my learning curve to much??? 

I've attached my texture pack that I started to work on...

Warning: Download of this attachment is at your risk!!! I assume no liablty as this is a work in progress... If you do download this file and fix it let me know as this is a broken file as it stands...
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 10, 2009, 09:52:55 PM
I hate to bump the thread here but I am real need of help here... I want to contribute more then just waterfalls, Lotting and modding some stuff...  I truly want to be well rounded except BAT that is where I cut off my learning curve lol...  Me and math are bad and I still think even with the textures I have made that I over stepped myself.....
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Heblem on February 10, 2009, 09:57:44 PM
Pat, just read carefully this... this made me understand how to sort out my textures...

Quote from: Heblem on February 06, 2009, 10:46:58 PM
Pat, if you used the automatically IID's then you have to do it over with your own IID's, its better, you only have to manually type it....

For example your IID range (0xF4C00000 - 0xF4C7FFFF) as what i saw... its of 10 digits, right?

The first 5 digits (0XF4C) is your selected range.
The 6th digit is different orders, you get 8 units to pick, which are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (as 0xF4C7FFFF the limit)
The 7th digit is wealth depend textures, is recommended to use 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, f
The 8th and 9th digit are different numbers for to choice, you can choice from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, f
And the last one, 10th digit is the zoom level, by default you should set it to 0, later automatically SC4Tool will sort it.

Hope that helps on how to sort your textures  ;)

As for the wealth depend (the 7th digit), 0 sets a neutral position as like 1, 2, 3 made different wealth positions as like $, $$, and $$$, so its suggested to put your textures the numbers as like 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, a, b, c, d, e, f.

Hope that helps  ;)
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Swamper77 on February 10, 2009, 10:11:31 PM
Quote from: Heblem on February 10, 2009, 09:57:44 PM
As for the wealth depend (the 7th digit), 0 sets a neutral position as like 1, 2, 3 made different wealth positions as like $, $$, and $$$, so its suggested to put your textures the numbers as like 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, a, b, c, d, e, f.

Heblem,

The "7th digit = wealth" rule only applies to network textures. For lot textures, the 5th digit specifies the wealth.

-Jan
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 10, 2009, 10:15:08 PM
Hey Heblem thank you for stopping by to help my sorry behind again you so rock!!!  OK so if I understand right and reading it correctly far as the wealth level is concerned I can leave that a Zero if I dont want to have any wealth and it will work just fine?  The 8 & 9 numbers is where I should order up my stuff IE 0xF4C00000 I would start my first texture at that or should I change it to start off like this way 0xF4C100A0 then my second texture could work out like 0xF4C20900... Something along those lines right or am I off here?

NEW edit thank you Jan, so with that I wouldnt want to touch the wealth for a base texture then?
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Heblem on February 10, 2009, 10:26:53 PM
Jan, I meant the 7th digit starting from 0x... not from F.. thanks! will keep that in mind  ;)

Pat, you can start ordering from the 6th digit (0xF4C#####), which you get 8 different units to pic... lets say you pick 3 (you can pick 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)

Then your IID is like this...
0xF4C3####

The wealth dependent, so as the suggested number I'll pick the first one... (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, f)
0xF4C34###

Tehn the 8 and 9 digits to pick any you like, i'll put 66  ;D (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, a, b, c, d, e, f) eg. many orders like 66, c4, f8, 14, 5c, 9d, etc etc...
0xF4C3466#

Then the last should be 0
0xF4C34660, and there you go, you got an IDD.

You can do over 2,000 textures  :)

edited the values you can use...

Edited by BarbyW as this is very confusing. You ONLY need to take that digit 5 uses anything from 4 to f as SC4Tool will take care of everything else.
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 10, 2009, 10:31:54 PM
OK I think I am starting to grasp the knowladge here... So as long as I dont reuse that number IE 0xF4C34660 I would be safe? But could I change up the 66 to say IE 55 for the next texture and do I still have to change the 34 or could I leave that alone and be good cause I just changed the 66?
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Heblem on February 10, 2009, 10:36:41 PM
Ive used 66 just as any number i got in head... you can use 66, c4, f8, 14, 5c, 9d, etc etc...

As for 34, again its another number I picked, you can pick from 1 to 7 (first digit) and 4 to F (second digit), the example was 34, but could be 7F, 4A, 25, etc etc

btw ive edited my post for better understanding  ;)
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: BarbyW on February 10, 2009, 11:54:33 PM
First of all, Heblem is confusing you with including the 0x in the calculations. Ignore that 0x and count from the left in the range given.
I downloaded your pack and see that you have started your numbering with f4c00044. Let's look at this:
f4c0 is your personal IID family range
0 is the wealth level indicator
04 indicate dilapidation levels
4 indicates the zoom level
If you are not making a set of textures that change with wealth then you need to make sure that your first texture begins f4c04000. SC4Tool will take care of the 6 to 8th digits for you. Each time you make a set of textures just keep an eye on digit 5.
The important thing to check is the fifth digit. As a rule of thumb do not use 0,1, 2, or 3 in that position.
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 11, 2009, 12:05:10 AM
Hey Barby thank you for stopping in.... So is that why when I did a test lot in LE it worked just fine but when I went into the game all I got was just the first texture in the Dat file I had made showing up on the whole lot...  the lot size was 6x6... I used all the textures I had made...  But still I had just the first texture with the straight paw prints showing on the whole 6x6 lot...

So as long as I make sure that the start of the IID looks like so f4c04 is like and then I use the next free IID button I should be OK?
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: BarbyW on February 11, 2009, 12:11:19 AM
Yes you should but just keep an eye on digit 5 in Sc4Tool every time you make a set of textures. SC4Tool will take care of everything else apart from that. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 11, 2009, 12:37:07 AM
Barby thank you soo much, I think I follow now....
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Heblem on February 11, 2009, 12:36:13 PM
Barby, so im doing it wrong again...   &ops need to know before to continue making more and more incorrect textures...  &mmm

Thanks for your help!
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: BarbyW on February 20, 2009, 07:21:31 AM
I forgot I had posted this at the start of SC4D but it may help you with making your textures.

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=9.0
Title: Re: Texture Tutorial and help
Post by: Pat on February 20, 2009, 09:14:40 AM
thanks for the pointer there Barby!!!  :thumbsup: