[Question] Custom billboards?

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-25 09:59

I'm trying to add my own custom billboard to my map and so far I wasn't successful.
I took a look in the Basrah map, since that one has those custom 'Iraqi Airways' billboards, copied the folder paths and it didn't work.

I extracted the texture sheet with the billboard out of BF2's objects_client, edited the picture and zipped the folder and it also didn't work.

help?

Post by **Rhino** » 2007-09-25 14:58

as always, BFeditor.org is your friend.

http://bfeditor.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3780

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-25 18:49

I copied the ClientArchives and added the line into init.con and have an Objects_Client.zip and it still doesn't work...

Post by **BlakeJr** » 2007-09-28 21:17

You mean this one?

I copied the ClientArchives and added the line into init.con and have an Objects_Client.zip and it still doesn't work...

Did you mount the objects_client.zip?

5. Open the server.zip/ClientArchives.con that you just added and in notepad ammend it to look like this.

fileManager.mountArchive Levels/your_map/Objects_client.zip Objects

fileManager.mountArchive Objects_client.zip Objects

fileManager.mountArchive Common_client.zip Common

fileManager.mountArchive Menu_client.zip Menu

fileManager.mountArchive Fonts_client.zip Fonts

fileManager.mountArchive Shaders_client.zip Shaders

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-28 22:19

Actually, I think, I missed the part, where you're supposed to make a custom texture suffix, since Basrah's suffix isn't regular, it's "ab"

ops:

Post by **BlakeJr** » 2007-09-29 08:08

Yes and no. IN the case of Al Basrah all the references are there already.
In theory all you have to do is edit the original Common_ch_billb_c_ab.dds

Now that I've checked into it a bit more, that IS all you have to do. Edit the .dds file I mean.

All references in the scripts are already in place.

Did you get it to work?

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-29 08:20

But rename it to what? I don't know if the 2 letter word is correct (I know ab stands for Al Basrah), but how do I know, what letters stand for 'crossroad', since that's the name of the map?

Post by **BlakeJr** » 2007-09-29 08:25

Outlawz wrote:But rename it to what? I don't know if the 2 letter word is correct (I know ab stands for Al Basrah), but how do I know, what letters stand for 'crossroad', since that's the name of the map?

You missed my point, DON'T rename it.

Just edit the actual .dds and save it as DXT5 interpolated alpha.

The suffix can be anything. It could be wTfxAYLOON if you want to.
Just leave it as ab and you do not have to worry about the references in the other files.

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-29 08:33

But I'm not using the Al Basrah billboards, I have the Dicecream billboard in my map and already edited the billboard texture, but it won't show up in my map, just shows the Dicecream one and I have the ClientArchives and Objects_Client.zip with the texture in it....

Post by **BlakeJr** » 2007-09-29 08:38

Damn sorry... My bad...

ops:
Just read the OP, you are trying to add custom BBs to a new map and not just edit the ones in Al Basrah...

Me stupid...

*must learn to read*

Ok, rename the suffix to OLCustom (or an abbreviation of the mapname, like I said in my previous post, it really does not matter as long as you use the same suffix in the various archives mentioned in Croupiers tutorial)

Also make sure all the paths are correct for your custom map. (obviously)
Like this one from the ClientArchives.con;

Code: Select all

fileManager.mountArchive Levels/albasrah/Objects_client.zip Objects

Another thing that I mentioned is the DXT5 compression and I read somewhere that statics, such as the billboards, use that compression together with Alpha channels to set the "read area" of the billboard texture...
Now, don't ask... I'm having problems understanding this as well...

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-29 11:11

But don't I need to create a custom suffix? Or do I just put something nxt to the file name, then open it up in the editor and voila, suffix is there?

Post by **BlakeJr** » 2007-09-29 11:18

Assuming you are using the Al Basrah billboard as a template open Common_ch_billb_c_ab.dds

Make your edits, then save as DXT5 and give it your new suffix when you save the file.
or since you probably already have edited the file, just rename it with the suffix of your choice.
Then make sure that suffix is listed in the init.con for the map you want it on.

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2007-09-29 15:38

Yes, that should most defiantly work, only I use the texture sheet, where one of the textures is the Dicecream billboard, which I have reskinned and left the rest intact.

And it isn't working... I'll try with another billboard..

Crunchieman · Post by **Crunchieman** » 2007-10-01 05:38

Off topic, but I would love to make some custom billboards and place them in some thread for the mappers to use. Whats the pixel count on those?

Kiaksar2142 · Post by **Kiaksar2142** » 2016-07-20 02:17

guys does anyone have saved that tutorial for custom billboards from bf2editor forums?
cos site is shut down now as you know, and webarchive also doesnt have that page =/

Post by **Outlawz7** » 2016-07-20 13:44

Surely you can gather what to do from this thread? Amazing necro btw

Wayback Machine does have several copies of that tutorial but it could have been written better.

Kiaksar2142 · Post by **Kiaksar2142** » 2016-07-22 18:02

i found out more easier way for creating custom billboards.
I will create little and detailed and easier tutorial soon and will post it here somewhere =)

[Question] Custom billboards?

[Question] Custom billboards?

Re: [Question] Custom billboards?

Re: [Question] Custom billboards?

Re: [Question] Custom billboards?