How to create a new Icon: now with GUI Editor

[Phez]

This is an advanced quick tutorial.

 

---------------- Step 1 -----------------

 

Extracting, Opening and Editing the image

 

* Extract Mt_commandbar.mtd and Mt_commandbar.tga from Textures.meg (data/art/textures)

* Hex edit Mt_commandbar.tga -> Change offset 17 from 00 to 08 (alpha fix for Gimp, Photoshop may not need this)

* Add your image to a blank area in Mt_commandbar.tga

* Remember your icon's x, y coordinates

 

Notes:

Unit icons (tie fighter, xwing, etc...) are 50x50

Pay attention to your alpha channel

Do Not use RLE (run length encoding) and Do Not use "origin at bottom left" when saving (tested GIMP 2.3.7).

 

- - - - - - - - - - Step 2 - - - - - - - - - -

 

Editing Mt_commandbar.mtd using MTDEdit

 

Make a backup of Mt_commandbar.mtd

 

Open Mt_commandbar.mtd in MTDEdit

 

Type your icon's Name X, Y, W, H into the boxes

Press save to accept the new entry (the button should turn green)

File -> Save

 

Mt_commandbar.mtd has been rewritten to include your new icon info

 

- - - - - More info for programmers - - - - - - - -

Mt_commandbar.mtd

+ This file contains 786 records:

+ Numbers are littleendian (intel)

+ Each record is 81 bytes long

+ Each contains a string followed by zeros, 4 32 bit integers (X Y W H), and 1 byte (either 0 or 1)

 

To add your icon overwrite the first number with one larger (787, 788, ...)

Add a unique name for your image to the end of the file followed by zeros (64 bytes total I think)

record the position of your icon as 4 byte integers (x, y)

record the width and height of your icon as 4 byte integers

end the file with a single byte: 1 (not '1' but 01 the number).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

There you go!

 

now you don't need to keep using Katarn's icon for everything!

 

 

Phez

Edited March 21, 2006 by Phez

[DragonShadow]

Ah, Phez, you are a Godsend... Mwahahaha, now my Sith Lord gets his own icon...

[Malikovski]

Great...now some programmer get to work on a frontend for that!

[Mikan Cyclone]

MWAHAHAHAHA! PATHETIC FOOLS! NOW YOU WILL TASTE THE WRATH OF MY NEW ICONS!

[JaiOwl]

Good digging there Prez, nice and simple when we all know how 

 

nicely done

[traceless]

Hi, nice idea

 

but 2 questions

 

1. Which hex-editor did you use?

 

2. i can't find the numbers. Do you can make scrennshots with marks, were the numbers and other things are? and sry, my english is very bad.

 

hope for answer

[Mikan Cyclone]

 

THIS PWNS!  AWESOME!

[Phez]

I like http://www.catch22.net/software/hexedit.asp

 

It's free and it gets the job done.  I wish it would show more data types in the status bar evaluation.

 

There's an editor up there now, It requires .NET 2.0. 

Should take the pain / annoyance out of MTD editing.

 

Now all you need is Gimp or Photoshop, etc for the TGA file.

 

Phez

[traceless]

F**K

#i dont find the numbers or other things in that file. Can anyone give me an example please?

[Phez]

Which Step is giving you problems?

 

What image editor are you using?

 

Did you try the editor attached to the first post?

 

Phez

[traceless]

I used hex-Editor-MX

 

I never work with hexaprogramms bevor.

 

I think i found het first littleend-number 786 at the front on the first four numbers but i don't find the other numbers.

 

And finally i don#t know were the other positions of the x/y coordinates or width and height are.

 

i know nothing  :-\ ???

 

maybe someone can mehe a screenhot of the prgoramm an mak marks on the Image, where i can find the things?

[Phez]

The MTD editor is available.

 

Skip the Hex Editor

 

I modified the top post with the file and some new instructions.

 

Happy Modding

 

Phez

[AdmarilRyan]

Very useful tool and tutorial, it has helped me a great deal.