Modding Q&A

[yang20]

I'll check. If it not work I'll try to copy roads and prefabs from other interchange

[yang20]

Yes there were roundabouts 3b, not 3a. Now I dont have place where cars dissapear. I have one question. How add Arabic text on template (sign). I know Arabic have strange connecting letter system so its imposible to make font with Arabian letters. Because it You using not letters but pictures with letters. Do You know how add new them?

[Vøytek]

I think you need an Atlas (MandelSoft created a tutorial about Signs, there you'll find info about Atlases). You atlas should contain Arabic names as images, so you can put them on signs... You need to know how it works, then you'll understand what I mean

[yang20]

I looked on tutorial. I have atlas but I dont know how to add image to files (I mean .dds .tobj and the most .mat files). MandelSoft not shown how add images, only definitions. But definitions are useless when they lead to nowhere.

[Vøytek]

You can figure it out by looking at other atlases (our files are locked but SCS files not ). If you'll have trouble, I can explain it step by step.

[yang20]

I think I can made it but I need one information. .dds is understandable. .tobj not all. When I open it by notepad I getting few strange sign and material path. Should I use diffrent program or windows notepad is enough. And .mat - are line

Code: Select all

material : "ui"
{
	texture : "my_name.tobj"
	texture_name : "texture"
}

is correct or I need to change this parameters.

[Vøytek]

I'd need to take a look at my files...

.tobj files can be edited using ETS2Studio - it has TOBJ Editor built in.

[yang20]

Żniwek, I looked and I cant understand this without help. I'll be very thankful if You explain me how to add images (step-by-step) to promods_il2 and, if it will be nesesarely, how to create promods_il3 because when I look on this definions, this materials, this thounsands files I have a really confusion.

[Portbagage]

Hey guys I am new to modding and I have few questions. I want to make an Moroccan Addon for Promods. I already started building a harbor in Tanger to connect with Marseille in the future. I saved my progress but when I wanted to load my map it crashed.

So my questions are:
Do I need promods in my mod folder to make an addon for it? It is much easier to build a map with pre-fabs. I followed the tutorial on how to save my progress but it fails. When I create an.scs file without promods or with promods in my mod folder, it always crash when I want to load it. Can I create my map now and merge in the future with promods?





Maybe these images will help, If it does not provide enough information tell me and i will make new screens

Thanks in advance!

[Vøytek]

We need your game.log file to find the cause if your problems. I have few possible solutions.

@yang20
Okay. So you want an atlas. An atlas is an image in .dds format. It also needs a definition file (.sii), a .mat file and a .tobj file.

So, you can make it using GIMP or Photoshop (maybe also Inkscape or Paint.net, not sure) - you just create a new image (512x512). It needs to have transparent background, so bottom layer needs to be transparent. No white or black color or anything. And now, you place your images (city names in this case). My tip to make it easier later (when creating the def) - create a grid:
http://i.imgur.com/MAVMEEA.png
It doesn't have to look like this but I needed squares for this:
http://i.imgur.com/LK3RGwm.png
And then you disable grid layer before saving as .png (to save transparency in your image), so it looks like this:
http://i.imgur.com/GzJ7Va8.png
You can make this grid with rectangulars too. 100x60, 200x240 - whatever you need. It's just to help you get the coordinates of every image in your atlas. You can even write their size if it'll help you.

To convert your .png file to .dds, use DxtBMP - it's a free and very small tool but powerful
Just drag and drop your file on DxtBMP and it'll open. Now just go to File->Save as->DDS Texture.
Choose DDS DXT3 or DDS DXT5 and save. Now you have the .dds file ready.

Now grab some existing .sii file of some atlas.
Open this file in Notepad++ (that's what I prefer and I don't recommend using standard Notepad in modding)
You'll see this (I'm using my Romanian Coat of Arms file as an example):

Code: Select all

SiiNunit
{
image_atlas : atlas.roc
{
  atlas_name: "Atlas RO - coat of arms"
  material_path: "/material/sign/atlas/atlas_ro_coatofarms.mat"
  
  # names
  images_names: 8
  images_names[0]: "Coat of Arms - Alba"
  images_names[1]: "Coat of Arms - Arad"
  images_names[2]: "Coat of Arms - Argeș"
  images_names[3]: "Coat of Arms - Bacău"
  images_names[4]: "Coat of Arms - Bihor"
  images_names[5]: "Coat of Arms - Bistrița-Năsăud"
  images_names[6]: "Coat of Arms - Botoșani"
  images_names[7]: "Coat of Arms - Brăila"
  
  # left right bottom top
  images_coords: 8
  images_coords[0]:  ( 0, 64, 64, 0)
  images_coords[1]:  ( 64, 128, 64, 0)
  images_coords[2]:  ( 128, 192, 64, 0)
  images_coords[3]:  ( 192, 256, 64, 0)
  images_coords[4]:  ( 256, 320, 64, 0)
  images_coords[5]:  ( 320, 384, 64, 0)
  images_coords[6]:  ( 384, 448, 64, 0)
  images_coords[7]:  ( 448, 512, 64, 0)

}
}

I've left only 1st row of images here - take a look at coordinates and you'll get it. That's why I created a grid of 64x64 squares. So I was able to place my images exactly in the center of every square and I know that every coat of arms image is starting with 64, 128, 192 and so on, up to 512.

So, now you'll need a .mat file. Copy an existing .mat file, open it with Notepad++ and change path, so it points to your file.
Then do the same with .tobj but open it with ETS2 Studio's TOBJ Editor.

Now you have 4 files ready. Place them in correct folders (look an extisting atlases, again) and load map editor - it should be working!