implementing custom textures...how?

[BadBenson 0]

i was wondering how you get your own textures on an island. it's not that i don't know how to handle the layers.cfg and mask_ico (eventhough i'm starting to think it is ). but if i rename the files (paa png and rvmat) of the sample island and define them with new names in the layers.cfg along with assigning them to different colors in the map_legend than the originals, there're still showing up like in the samplemap.

so could someone please post a brief explaination what has to be done to get your own texture-maskmap-system. or in short to just add a custom texture without just renaming an old one.

thx in advance

[BadBenson 0]

nevermind...since noone answered i found out myself...

PLEASE MODS DELETE THIS THREAD

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Well, I would appreciate knowing how you do it, although I sense you are angry about the lack of response and may not want to.  I didn't respond because I don't have a clue.  All I've ever done myself is adjust the color of the detail_co.paa files and renamed stuff.   But any insight as to how one creates a new nohq.paa file would be a tremendous help to me.

[BadBenson 0]

well that's what i did...if u want me to explain how to make normal and specular map then i have to disapoint you since i don't know. but that's exactly my question:

is there something in photoshop to generate those "secundary" textures or do you have to use other programs?

time will tell

[Nicholas Bell 0]

You got me thinking and found the answer - and it works:

The plug-in for PS is here, thanks to Kegetys:

http://www.kegetys.net/arma/

Linker Split did a tutorial on making normal maps:

http://www.ofpec.com/ed_depo....cat=xyz

Knowing the proper terminology for the file type was the info I needed.

[opteryx 1562]

I would strongly recommend using Crazybump instead of the Nvidia plugin for PS.

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Any particular reason you recommend this, Opteryx? Since I know so little about this, I'm sure I wouldn't know the reason looking at output of either. I bow to your experience.

[opteryx 1562]

Firstly there's a simplistic and user friendly GUI, second it runs better algorithms and third you have some very nice slide bars which you can tweaking your normal/occlusion/specular/displacement/diffuse maps to greater detail than in Nvidia's plugin. Also you can view your textures in real-time 3d.  Generally it's just a better app.  

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Quote[/b] ]Firstly there's a simplistic and user friendly GUI, second it runs better algorithms and third you have some very nice slide bars which you can tweaking your normal/occlusion/specular/displacement/diffuse maps to greater detail than in Nvidia's plugin. Also you can view your textures in real-time 3d. Generally it's just a better app.

Yep, I can see how right you are - thanks!

[BadBenson 0]

here's another app for normalmap creation...found it on another board:

http://www.renderingsystems.com/index.php

BTW: does someone know where i can find the queen's gambit drygrass used on porto? which pbo or which clutter class name is it?

[Nicholas Bell 0]

Try Desert2.

Kind of ironic we are both working on maps of almost the same area, although I'm across the border in Pakistan.