VTF problems

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
I tried Vtex but some sort of confusing error message shows up ("hit a key to continue" but closes the window)

VTFEdit won't work due to code 14001. I tried reinstalling the programs it wants but it seems to have done nothing.

PhotoShop with the VTF plug in is my only success at making VTF files, but I don't know how to get them onto my map. I know VMTs have something to do with it but then there is the matter of right folders for Hammer to find them in and such.

I got plenty of projects I want to do and the fact I was able to make my first proper map in roughly a week felt awesome until I struck this problem and now feel just as helpless. I hate how I feel was doing so well for my first map and discover I can't texture while everyone else seems to be using the programs with no hassle while I don't know at all what I am ballsing up.
 

Beetle

L9: Fashionable Member
Aug 17, 2008
627
178
This is what it says on the VTFEdit website:
".NET Framework v1.1 (23,698 KB Executable) - VTFEdit is written in C++ .NET and as such requires the .NET runtime to run. The .NET runtime is also available as a Windows Update. v1.1 is required."

Do you have .NET Framework installed?
 

Beetle

L9: Fashionable Member
Aug 17, 2008
627
178
vtf/vmt files go in a folder in your materials folder. It could be

tf/materials
custom/whateveryounamethisfolder/materials
or download/materials.

It doesn't matter.
 

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
vtf/vmt files go in a folder in your materials folder. It could be

tf/materials
custom/whateveryounamethisfolder/materials
or download/materials.

It doesn't matter.

I think I put it in the right folder.

D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\download\custom

It's companied with it's vmt which says:

"LightmappedGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "D:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/materials/custom/ghz"
}

But it's still not showing up.
 

Beetle

L9: Fashionable Member
Aug 17, 2008
627
178
I think I put it in the right folder.

D:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\download\custom

It's companied with it's vmt which says:



But it's still not showing up.

Try downloading a custom texture from this site (in the Downloads section) and see how they laid it out.
 

henke37

aa
Sep 23, 2011
2,075
515
The VMT should not contain an absolute path. It should be a relative path.
 
Sep 7, 2012
638
500
Here's your problem:
"LightmappedGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "D:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/materials/custom/ghz"
}

This should say (and BE) one of the following:
1. "D://Program FIles (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/materials"
2. "D://Program FIles (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/download/materials"
3. "D://Program FIles (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/custom/thisfoldernameisirrelevant/materials"


I.e, you may have problems with nested folders in your tf/materials folder, switch it to downloads or custom as shown above instead.

To expand on what Henke said, a relative path will be more successful because then other people will be able to use it too if you don't pack it into your map when all is said and done. An absolute path will only work for others if they happen to have their Steam directory set up in the same drive as yours, I think (though packing the textures should change this and prevent the directories from mattering at all, as far as I know packed files never make it to the new user's directories on download and instead use those directories as a point of reference within the bsp itself, as nothing more than an identification label).
 
Last edited:

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
Aha! I got it... working... sort of.

Hammer Editor knows where it is now, though see's it purple and black checkered.
 

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
Where is your vtf right now, and where is your vmt? What does the vmt say about the vtf's location?

I relocated it to a place where it now works. Heres what the vmf says on it.

"LightmappedGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "D://Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/download/materials/Mystic_Monkey/ghz"
}
 

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
It is a material so the assumed default starting point is going to be gamedirectory\materials.

Your quote was exactly what I needed! It's working now!

And I can make PhotoShop map textures this was also? By saving them as VTFs, give them VMFs and putting them in that directory?
 

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
Sweet! Thank you all for helping me. I would of gone skitz if I wouldn't of known what to do.

Now I am having problems trying to upload a decal. I don't understand, It has a VMF like the previous texture.
 
Last edited:

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
You need a line that says:

$decal "1"

somewhere inside the squiggly brackets, preferably the line just below $basetexture, in order for it to work as an overlay.
 

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
You need a line that says:

$decal "1"

somewhere inside the squiggly brackets, preferably the line just below $basetexture, in order for it to work as an overlay.

Is it suppose to look something like this?

"LightmappedGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "D://Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/download/materials/Mystic_Monkey/Nack_Wanted"
$decal "1"
}

Because still not working. I'm also wondering if I set up the VTF right. Even when I try to load it up on Photoshop, v|ImageLoadProc() fails. It's no problem if the VTF is broken as I can make another on Photoshop.
 
Last edited:

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
aa
Nov 2, 2007
4,775
7,669
Uhh... as before. Relative path, not absolute. Absolutes are never used because that exact file is what will be on another person's computer when they play the map, so more than likely the VTF will not and can not exist at that location.
 

Mystic Monkey

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 24, 2011
224
12
Uhh... as before. Relative path, not absolute. Absolutes are never used because that exact file is what will be on another person's computer when they play the map, so more than likely the VTF will not and can not exist at that location.

Um, but I don't understand, it worked with he last one.

And what is the difference between Relative and Absolute paths?
 

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
aa
Nov 2, 2007
4,775
7,669
It... didn't work with the last one? That's what I told you to change.

Absolute: D://Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/download/materials/Mystic_Monkey/Nack_Wanted

Relative: Mystic_Monkey/Nack_Wanted