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Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 17th at 12:03am 2012

So things have changed since HL1. I remember there used to be a tool to convert regular images into .WAD files or the like, and now Im trying to do the same for my Titanic map. I've done a bit of searching but now comes the time to board my flight home.

I've found this link https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Material_Creation which explains the whole materials thing and I've installed VTFEdit, converted a texture into a .vtf, but now Im not sure whats the next step. I dont want to do anything fancy, I just want the thing to end up into a format (WAD or otherwise) that I can use in VHE to texture my brushes. The tutorial pretty much leaves me with a VTF file, but doesnt explain what to do next.

In VHE, it appears textures (or materials or whatever) have to be in either .WAD or .PAK files (Tools -> Options -> Materials)

I also noticed that some of the texture files (including VTF files) appear in the steamapps Half Life 2 hl2/materials/ folder appear in the texture editor, but if I copy my file to that directory it doesnt appear in VHE, even after a restart.

Answers much appreciated smiley



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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Captain Terror on Sat Mar 17th at 5:02am 2012

to see the textures in hammer, you also copy the vtf/vmt for each texture to your materialsrc directory.

when you are ready to release the map, use PackBSP to automatically embed all your texturs/models/sounds/etc into the bsp. (these can later be viewed/extracted if necessary using GCFScape.



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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 17th at 5:35am 2012

Could you be more specific? I've tried the following directories with no luck:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\<steamID>\half-life 2\hl2\materials\
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\<steamID>\half-life 2\hl2\materials\SDK\
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\<steamID>\sourcesdk_content\hl2\materialsrc\
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\<steamID>\sourcesdk_content\hl2\materialsrc\SDK\

[edit]Apparently the pit doesnt like '\' characters



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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Captain Terror on Sat Mar 17th at 6:42am 2012

should be the third one down. Whenv i make a texture i copy to:

- sourcesdk_content - whatevergame - materialsrc
- whatevergame - materials

Be sure the the directory you specify in the vmt is the same as the physical location you are placeing your vtf and vmt files.



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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 17th at 8:47am 2012

Hmm maybe that's part of the issue; I don't have a vmt file. The VTFEdit utility only created a vtf file..



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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Wild Card on Sat Mar 17th at 12:48pm 2012

Ok, got further. Found these tutorials which were very informative:

http://www.worldofleveldesign.com/categories/wold-members-tutorials/keith_garry/custom-textures-hammer-keithgarry.php

and

http://www.gamebanana.com/css/tuts/2324

The first one was more informative but it was a bit incorrect. The second one had the correct path location for the basetexture parameter in the VMT.

Looks like I now have my textures working. Will let you know after the flight home and a well awaited nap.



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 Re: Custom textures/materials for Source 2009
Posted by Digi on Sun Apr 8th at 7:15am 2012

Well that valve dev link actually explains the VMT creating process :P
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Material_Creation#Creating_a_material

Also, you can use any VTF file from the materials folder in your VMT script, for example I'm using base texture nature/ground_grass02 in my /trains/grass.vmt file :}




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