Texture mod for dragable GLR help needed.

[gmavignier 3]

Recently I downloaded a mod for my sidewalks to have sandstone textures. I guess this mod is widely used by some users as I have seen them on CJs. Only after I did I noticed that, although there is a straight GLR over sandstone piece, some intersections can only be done using the dragable pieces. The problem is it has different textures from the sidewalks.

I was wondering if it's possible to have dragable versions of the GLR with sandstone base textures. Also there could be an additional version using asphalt base textures as to match a mod I also think is widely used: the euro asphalt mod.

I don't know anything about how it could be done but I know PEG released, a long time ago, a mod that replaced game textures for custom PEG textures. I was wondering if the same thing could be done with the vanilla SC texture that is used as a base for the GLR. This mod would replace the texture everywhere it's used. Maybe there is a way to point the game dats elsewhere when it looks for the texture.

I wonder if I made myself clear. Any doubts you can post a reply or something.

Cheers.

EDIT: I am starting to unpack the textures and work on them. Since there are so many pieces and I have to do them all 5 times because of the zoom levels I could really use some help. If anyone is interested it's an easy but tiring job. All you need is some sort of photoshop program to manipulate the extracted files. I would provide the original files. All there is to do is overlay textures and put them together.

PLEASE GUYS HELP OUT

[jplumbley 5]

Of course it is possible. In fact you can make is as a second GLR alternate draggable system. You can have upto 16 different draggable GLR textures if you had them. The problem is we need someone to make the textures and then we can mod the textures to be draggable.

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: jplumbley Of course it is possible. In fact you can make is as a second GLR alternate draggable system. You can have upto 16 different draggable GLR textures if you had them. The problem is we need someone to make the textures and then we can mod the textures to be draggable.quote>

Great start. Anyone applies? I could do it myself if only I knew how. If anyone else is interested lets all come together and see what can be done.

[gmavignier 3]

Anyone applies? Anyone? Come one people this could be very helpful.

[jplumbley 5]

If anyone gives me a set of textures in PNG format I will consider them for alternate draggble texture sets. I cannot tell you how to make textures because I am not a texture creator. If you learn and make a texture set for the GLR, then I can make it draggable as an alternate.

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: jplumbley If anyone gives me a set of textures in PNG format I will consider them for alternate draggble texture sets. I cannot tell you how to make textures because I am not a texture creator. If you learn and make a texture set for the GLR, then I can make it draggable as an alternate.quote>

I will see what I can do. I bet game textures are just images in a determined file size and type. I will look it p and try to come up with something.

[gmavignier 3]

I have found a way to extract game textures to BMP. Can i just use photoshop to transform it to regular PNG or is there more to it than just this? I mean do you need alpha transparency channels and all that stuff?

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: gmavignier I have found a way to extract game textures to BMP. Can i just use photoshop to transform it to regular PNG or is there more to it than just this? I mean do you need alpha transparency channels and all that stuff?quote>

EDIT: Found it after some searching. It was number 7391 on SimCity2.dat. I extracted it like Jeronij explained in his tutorial (LINK). I hope this works. If not PM me and I will find a way to fix it. Hope hearing from you soon jplumbley.Thanks a lot.

sandstone textures.zip

[jplumbley 5]

What I mean is actually doing the GLR textures, not just extracting the base texture.  I have enough on my plate right now between school and SAM that I cannot make new textures sets tright now.  Also, I dont make textures from scratch I only use existing ones to make things better.

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: jplumbley What I mean is actually doing the GLR textures, not just extracting the base texture.  I have enough on my plate right now between school and SAM that I cannot make new textures sets tright now.  Also, I dont make textures from scratch I only use existing ones to make things better.quote>

That means a lot more work ahead of me but I am going to try and do it. I am guessing I am going to use the GLR with transparent base texture and place it over the textures I extracted for the simpler pieces. For the crossings I am going to have to use photoshop to manipulate the hell fo the pieces. I was just wondering, before I start things, if I have to retexture all the zoom levels. I guess I do but there is no harm in asking.

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: gmavignier

Originally posted by: jplumbley What I mean is actually doing the GLR textures, not just extracting the base texture.  I have enough on my plate right now between school and SAM that I cannot make new textures sets tright now.  Also, I dont make textures from scratch I only use existing ones to make things better.quote>

That means a lot more work ahead of me but I am going to try and do it. I am guessing I am going to use the GLR with transparent base texture and place it over the textures I extracted for the simpler pieces. For the crossings I am going to have to use photoshop to manipulate the hell fo the pieces. I was just wondering, before I start things, if I have to retexture all the zoom levels. I guess I do but there is no harm in asking.quote>

EDIT: Here are a few examples of what I have done. The first one is a remake of all of the piece. It's final it would look like that. The second one is a remake of only the base texture. I think the second would be something like "rail placed over existing texture".

By the way, I know that when we mess with sandstone textures we have a problem of where it's pointing (the bricks I mean) but for crossings there is nothing I can do.

You Simtropolis people let me know what do you think so I can get this started for real.

Cheers.

[jplumbley 5]

Good news gmavingnier!

You only have to do the Zoom 5 textures (128x128 px).  When you have them created I will need PNG format of the 128x128 textures.  Then I can organize them into a DAT file and make them work in game.

Good luck and dont give up.  I have been doing alot of overlaying of textures in my work, but I dont have time between school and my other projects to help you create these textures.  All I can do is give you pointers here and there from my very little experience.

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: jplumbley

Good news gmavingnier!

You only have to do the Zoom 5 textures (128x128 px).  When you have them created I will need PNG format of the 128x128 textures.  Then I can organize them into a DAT file and make them work in game.

Good luck and dont give up.  I have been doing alot of overlaying of textures in my work, but I dont have time between school and my other projects to help you create these textures.  All I can do is give you pointers here and there from my very little experience.

quote>

Dude these are the best news I have had in a long time. I was about to give up seeing I was going to have to do a lot of work and no one seemed to be interested but this just made a whole lot easier. There is no giving up for me now. I am hopping I am going to have these done in about a week or two. I will PM when they are done.

EDIT: Progress will be slower than I thought. A few pieces are quite easy to make but most are ALPHA BLENDED and I don't know yet how to deal with that. I hope I will find out soon though to carry on this project.

Also, as to make it easier for people that might subscribe to this thread or only open recently replied threads, I am going to post my progress in new answers instead of editing my old ones so you might see a lot of replies by me to myself.

[mjig_dudy 11]

Its great you are making these, I guess you are using my pavement MOD ( the SMP one )?

I never really liked that 'white squares' texture much, its a shame it seems to be the main texture used throughout simcity4. However the sandstone texture is one of my favorites (hence why i made the pavement mod), which is why i am so happy you are making these. I like the first version best (without the white middle bit)

Keep up the good work

[gmavignier 3]

First of all dude thanks for the mod I always loved it. And yes I am working on the first version of the pieces. Maybe you could give me a few pointers on working with apha blended things. Does it work any differently than the regular textures?

[gmavignier 3]

So... people don't seem to be interested and I would really need help to finish this project. Thing is I am disappointed with the lack of interest and, from now on, I consider this project over. If I get any help or see that people have become interest with it I might reconsider restarting it.

[Godzillaman 21]

People probably want it but don't reply to it. I for one want it. I just can't mod though.

[jplumbley 5]

@Gmavingnier  The best thing for you to do is download FSHman from the Modds/Downloads section.  Extract all of the GLR textures one by one (only the 128x128 pixel ones) and edit them in Photoshop, Paintshop Pro or whatever you have.  Extract them as PNGs and then when you are done send them to me as PNGs.

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: Godzillaman People probably want it but don't reply to it. I for one want it. I just can't mod though.quote>

Thanks for the support but this is just too much work for me to do alone.

Originally posted by: jplumbley @Gmavingnier  The best thing for you to do is download FSHman from the Modds/Downloads section.  Extract all of the GLR textures one by one (only the 128x128 pixel ones) and edit them in Photoshop, Paintshop Pro or whatever you have.  Extract them as PNGs and then when you are done send them to me as PNGs.quote>

That's what I have been doing but, for most textures, I also have to extract the alpha path for transparencies. Although I don't have to edit it there are just way too many pieces and I have found that, because of the orientation of the bricks, the sandstone texture is not the best texture to use here.

To all: I guess I am going to continue this mod with no real commitment until some one helps me out. By this I mean I am going forward with it I am just not going to release any progress since it's going to take forever. I could do a piece a day I guess.

[warrior 169]

Do you plan on doing another draggable GLR or overwriting the current one?

Good luck, hope you finish it sooner rather than later.

[jplumbley 5]

@Gmav  What program are you using for your image editing?  I have been using Photoshop in my work on the SAM (Street Addon Mod) Project.  I have had to fix up in the range of 300 textures so far and I have gained some help from others as of late.  What I am doing is taking existing texture sets that are incomplete and making them a full set with all wealth levels and full Street sets.

How I do this is: (This method works best with programs that use layers)

1.  Extract the textures for the set into PNG format. (Both iLive Reader and FSHman required)
iLives Reader
     A.  Open the NAM GLR DAT file... I forgot the name offhand.
     B.  Look for all of the FSH files that the IID ends with 4.  Right click, Copy Files.
     C.  Click on the Blank.dat.  Right click, Paste Files.
     D.  Save the Blank.dat.
     E.  File -> Extract All Files into a folder where all the files can be accessed easily by you.
FSHman
     A.  Open one of the FSH files you extracted.
     B.  In the Browse TAB click on the #1
     C.  File -> Save As...
Following these steps should skip whatever problem you were having with the ALPHA layer.

2.  Open the PNG texture in Photoshop.

3.  Erase the Base from the texture.  In the case of the GLR, it will mean leaving only the rails and any road crossing the rails (erasing the sidewalk).

4.  Save the texture with only the GLR and any road crossings as a Photoshop file.  The texture must have a transparent or at very minimum a solid base color.

5.  Open a the Base texture you would like.  In your case the Sandstone texture.

6.  Now go back to the GLR texture you just saved and select all and copy.

7.  Back to the Base texture.  Paste on a new layer the GLR texture.  If you have a solid base color (normally white or black) you will have to select these colors and erase them for the base to show through.

8.  Save this new texture as a PNG.  Congrats, you may now send this texture to me when you have the set completed.


I have found that this method takes me about 5 mins to extract a set of textures once you get the hang of it.  And then each texture individually editing them in overlays takes about 10 mins if I am rushing to get it done.  But, time is not of the essence on a project like this as it will take some time before I am ready to do the modding work on it.  SAM is taking up most of my time and it is going quite well.  Please take a look at the link in my signature to see the latest on what I have developed.  It is very applicable to what you are asking to do here.

[gmavignier 3]

Yes that's just what I have been doing. It's not hard or anything it's just boring and frustrating as it never seems to end. For some pieces I actually put two copied of the same rails together like in the X crossing for example that is made of 2 T connections overlapped facing different directions. I seem to be getting more support now so I am going to give it a boost this weekend and report back.

EDIT: I have done 8 pieces so far and I expect to have another 20 or so done before monday.

[warrior 169]

Posted by warrior

Do you plan on doing another draggable GLR or overwriting the current one?

Good luck, hope you finish it sooner rather than later.

quote>

[gmavignier 3]

Originally posted by: warrior

Posted by warrior

Do you plan on doing another draggable GLR or overwriting the current one?

Good luck, hope you finish it sooner rather than later.

quote>

quote>

Don't know. It's up to jplumbley to see hot it's going to work.

[warrior 169]

I would say it would be better to a draggable GLR, but that takes a long time.

[jplumbley 5]

This will not overwrite the original draggable GLR. It will be a second variation just like SAM. But first I will require textures before I do anything.

[gmavignier 3]

I have just finished 33 pieces. All of them had no alpha channel and, judging by their looks, I would say they are the plopable pieces. I am going to start unpacking the remaining textures tomorrow. I am also going to upload them on a zip file so people can take a look and give me some return. Look again on this reply soon for the file.

EDIT: Just uploaded the ZIP. Just take a look and tell me what you all think. LINK

EDIT2: I don't know if you got it right warrior. This is supposed to be another dragable GLR. Only with different textures. Just making sure.

[ssc4k 1]

well i have decided to help with textures so this project can get going faster

gmavignier: if you deliver the textures by email pm me i dont use it much having trouble viewing jpegs to bye the way

oh and anoyne whho reads htis topic please comment either positive or negative so i have something to read  (finished harry potter 7 for the 3rd time and all others 15 or so times i counted i think)

[ssc4k 1]

the texture were using

[jplumbley 5]

@gmazingnier    I have downloaded your jpegs and taken a quick look at them.  To be honest many of them are unusable.  Textures are 128x128 pixels and only have what is within one tile.  Some of your textures are multiple different sizes, some are 128x128 but have what would be 3 tiles wide.  They are very inconsistent and very few are really useable, Im sorry to say.