New planet textures

from Sins Forums

OK spent last night creating about 35 new planet textures. now I want to be able to make new random planet textures for all the planets. I do not want to replace any of the originals. what I want to do is to add new textures for sins to choose when selecting a planet. for example there are currently 2 desert ,2 volcanic,2 terran,2ice, what i want to do is add more. so that there are more than 2 of each kind to choose from.

so if i were to add texture files to the textures folder. but name them Planetterran03-da.dds planetterran04-da.dds
ect for each kind . would sins even recognize them or do i need to add something else somewhere so sins now chooses the new additions.\

I hope to be able to have 8 ice,8volcanic,8terran,8desert choices
modding
22,016 views 35 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
The possible textures are in the individual planet entity files (planetTerran.entity, planetIce.entity, etc), so you would need to add yours in there.

I'm not sure if there are any limitations to how many you can have it pick from - Uzii has been doing planet modding including re-texturing, so he would know more than I do :)
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
K thx. yea i am going to actually add my planets to uzil's sins plus mod as i made some forest and ocean planets and 1 more toxic one
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
You need to make new meshes for each planet to add new textures.

I did this with a new moon "planet" (colonizable moon).

For instance, if you want to add a new texture to the Ice planets, what I did:


Look for Planet_IceX.mesh (where X is a number, 0-3, etc).
Copy one, rename it Planet_Ice4.mesh (or whatever you want really, I just kept it sequential).

Open the file, and change the bolded parts (it's at the top of the file):
Material
DiffuseTextureFileName "C:\PlanetIce01-cl.dds"
SelfIlluminationTextureFileName "C:\PlanetIce01-da.dds"
NormalTextureFileName ""

Change them to reference your texture names.

Then you have to add the new mesh to the planet_ice.entity (found in the gameinfo folder), find:

TXT
entityType "Planet"
meshInfoCount 4
meshInfo
typeNameStringID "IDS_PLANETTYPE_ICE"
asteroidTemplate "Sparse"
dustCloudTemplate "IceSafe"
meshName "Planet_Ice_0"
cloudColor ffdafcff
nullMeshRadius 0.000000
nullMeshParticleEffect ""
hudIcon "HUDICON_PLANET_ICE0"
smallHudIcon "HUDICONSMALL_PLANET_ICE0"
infoCardIcon "INFOCARDICON_PLANET_ICE0"
mainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_PLANET_ICE0"
undetectedMainViewIcon "MAINVIEWUNDETECTEDICON_PLANET_ICE0"
picture "PICTURE_PLANET_ICE0"



Copy everything from "meshInfo to the "picture "PICTURE_PLANET_ICE0" line, and paste it AFTER the last mesh item.

Once you do that, chage the "meshName "Planet_Ice_0"" line to "meshName "Planet_Ice_4"" (or whatever you named the new mesh).

Don't forget, for every new mesh you add to the planet's entity file, you need to change the meshInfoCount number. Add 1 to it for every meshInfo item you add.

Hopefully that's not too confusing.

If it is, I'll try to make a somewhat "proper" tutorial, with pictures. :)




Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
This is exactly the information I needed. I found Uzils Entity files and am currently just looking at each one and getting a feel for what each entry does .with this info in mind. I am going to go ahead and make A few more Choices. and alter some of uzil's





I have A few issues with the current choices .


which I will discuss in the post titled "Realistic Planet types,(and their effects on colonization)"

Uzil if you see this I would like to know if it ok to use a few of your files packaged in your sins plus mod.
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Yep, go for it. I can't believe I missed this topic, but good to see others know how it works too. Foodro got it spot on.

I couldn't see the thread you mentioned above either, "Realistic Planet Types", could you post a link please?
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
I'm still trying to get textures to wrap right...

I'll get it, eventually.
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
wrapping around is fine, in Photshop; Filter -> Other -> Offset -> Horizontal. Just don't forget to put it back before you save.

The poles is another matter. I tried warping the mid section around it, but to no avail. Someone mentioned about using; Filter -> Distort -> Polar Coordinates, but it takes some tweaking to get right.
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
I just use spherical UV mapping and to hell with those cross-shaped textures. :p I am sure there is a nifty technique for making of cross shaped textures, but so far I wasn't able to find one. Especially if you got a full planet texture with plenty of exact details, like lights on a city-world...
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
I've tried the offset thing, but apparently I suck at it. :)

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top
You need to remember the number you offset it by, then undo it before you save, thats the only trick to it.

I am sure there is a nifty technique for making of cross shaped textures, but so far I wasn't able to find one. Especially if you got a full planet texture with plenty of exact details, like lights on a city-world...
End of quote


Not to sound rude, but; Whats that supposed to mean?

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
Actually, looking at my new textures, it's just the poles (go figure).

Looking at the standard Sins' textures, it appears there's a 5-6 pixel wide band on the horizontal part of the "+", I tried to mimic that, but it didn't do anything.
Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
Yea sorry about not posting my other comment yet but I wanted to make sense.Later on when the kids go to bed i'll sit and finish it.
Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top
Not to sound rude, but; Whats that supposed to mean?
End of quote


Hey man, nothing to do with your work. :) I like what you did with the new planet types, in fact plan to incorporate it with the Last Stand, especially the bonuses. I just meant that when you have a very detailed texture, such as a city-world one, even the tiniest misalingment shows, and very much so. Since, as you know, I am experimenting with resized planets and hi-res texturing, I need to make my own textures, and hence have the aforementioned problem.
Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top
Ah, sorry. I thought for a second it was... well...

Tomorrow(After 1.2 is released, just got some ironing out to do) I think I'm going to have a play around with Photoshop and see if I can get a precise way of warping the midsection around one of the poles.

I've come close, but only with guess work and rough measurements. I'm hoping somewhere deep in PS there will be a magic option that fixes our little problem. ;)
Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top
It would be nice. I've got a ton of X3 textures, just begging to be used for more variety (for public release if/when I get their permission).
Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top
Uzii, if you find out anything, do let me know.
My guess is that rulers are somehow involved... ;)
Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top
Ok I know this info is somewhere, if so please point me to it.

I am ready to add my new planets to the game. I went ahead and made A complete copy of uzils mod. and want to make the entity files for 4 more planet types. (no research needed) i'll try all that later. Is their A main file in the Gameinfo folder that I need to add to before I add Entity files for my 4 planets.or will they just show ?I really just want them to be choices to populate random maps or that i could just change via text editing the galaxy file . Do I need to modify the pictureplanet brush file in any way? or any other brush file for that matter?

So lets say I went and copied A mesh for each type 3 times for each planet type and named them 0,1,2, ect.

I made the textures and named them PlanetCarbonrich01-da.dds , 02.da.dds , 03.da.dds
ect for the 4 types

Took An existing entity file and copied,altered to point to the new cloud/planet textures and new planetnames and planet info
few questions there, #1 an icon ,where would i get one,could i use any icon(I got Desktop x..)
#2 do I need an Icon?
#3 is their A main file . somewhere. (kinda like the solarsys.scc file in celestia) that I need to alter before their can be these new planets?

Do I need to modify english String file in any way?

Did i miss anything? any tips
Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top
Ah, sorry. I thought for a second it was... well...Tomorrow(After 1.2 is released, just got some ironing out to do) I think I'm going to have a play around with Photoshop and see if I can get a precise way of warping the midsection around one of the poles. I've come close, but only with guess work and rough measurements. I'm hoping somewhere deep in PS there will be a magic option that fixes our little problem.
End of quote


Shave off those two strips at the top and bottom of the midsection (the ones that don't fit with the rest of the texture) and then apply the polar coordinates filter. Line it up with one of the poles, and BAM! Perfect fit. I haven't built a texture using this method yet (I've been using nothing but featureless ocean at the divide), but hopefully it will come out well in-game when I do.
Reply #19 from Sins Forums Top
Very good to hear that, Diablo, I will give that a try in a minute.

Edit: Pah! It bloody works! Great spot, that probably would have taken me a few hours or more to find. Thanks a lot Diablo.
Reply #20 from Sins Forums Top
So, you apply the polar coords filter to the strips?

I haven't had any beer yet today, I need "instructions for idiots". :)


Edit:


Ok, I'll admit it, I'm lost...

I've got this http://www.apexf1.com/soase/planet.jpg (big)


So, I shave off the slivers on top/bottom, then apply Filter>Polar Coordinates?

That makes one fucked up looking planet.
Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top
Correct, the planet does look very fucked up when you do that. The point, however, is to paint the spherical areas at the top and bottom so that they match up with the middle strip. Then you throw away the donut-shaped middle that you got from the polar coordinates filter and put the original one back in. If you've done everything right, you should end up with a seamless texture.
Reply #22 from Sins Forums Top
Is that the entire texture? It seems to be missing the top inch or so.

I can't wait to try out this method on my next load of textures. Great find Diablo.
Reply #23 from Sins Forums Top
Well, no, the top part got cropped in the prnt-scrn.

Apparently, I'm dense as a rock...

Color-coded:

http://www.apexf1.com/soase/planet2.jpg (big)



Green is the "strips" and then I polar coord the blue? I know I'm making this WAY harder than it is, and it's frustrating the shit out of me.
Reply #24 from Sins Forums Top
Yes. Thats it. But it is a lot easier to copy and paste it to a new layer, then you can move the donut shape it makes so it is positioned on top of the pole.

Edit: I am using Photoshop CS2, as is Diablo, I believe. What are you using, I don't recognise the layout.
Reply #25 from Sins Forums Top
ps 7.

The "donut" goes on the top + bottom? Or the middle "band".

That's where I'm getting confused. Here's one with the polar coord filter applied:

http://www.apexf1.com/soase/planet3.jpg (big)




wtf.