Adding a custom quicklist photo

[Randdalf]

Adding a custom quicklist photo
It was only added today, but we've already found a way of doing it for your map. Here are the steps involved with creating a custom quicklist photo for your map.

(Note: Pakrating has been found to not work with this, so the file will have to be included seperately with your map. This tutorial assumes basic knowledge of the mentioned programs)

1. Use MrMuffinMan's tutorial here to take a good picture of your map.

2. Download this template here and open it in your desired photo editor.

3. Copy your map photo and resize it such that it fits within the black area on the template.

4. Save the picture as menu_thumb_mapname.jpg (Note: the mapname must be exactly as your map is called on its filename, underscores and all).

5. Use VTFEdit or a similar Photoshop plugin to convert this file to a .vtf

6. Create a file in notepad with the following contents, once again replacing mapname with the full name of your map.

"UnlitGeneric"
{
"$basetexture" "vgui\maps\menu_thumb_mapname"
"$translucent" 1
"$ignorez" 1
"$vertexcolor" 1
}

Save this file as menu_thumb_mapname.vmt

7. Move both the .vtf and .vmt within your team fortress 2/tf folder structure to materials/vgui/maps/ creating the necessary folders if you don't have them.

8. Load up the game and look for a server running this map, and gaze in wonderment as you see the custom menu photo.

Youme helped find whether the pakrating worked or not

 

[YM]

Crazy fast!

Sucks that it can't be done from within the .bsp though D:

But it can still be forced as a server thing or shipped along side the .bsp with instal instructions for those who take the time...

 

[Rexy]

Good that you posted today! I am about to finish up my payload map for the contest, Youme, can we include the quicklist photo in the .zip file with the .bsp for the contest?

 

[grazr]

If you winrar the files with the correct folder setup up it should automatically place these files in the right place, with no need for people to extract to different folder's themselves. Presuming they know to extract the "Team Fortress 2" folder in the compressed file to their own"Team Fortress 2" folder.

So if you have:

Team Fortress 2/tf/maps/pl_mapname.bsp
""""""""""""""""""/tf/materials/VGUI/maps/menu_thumb_pl_mapname.vtf

Team Fortress 2 being your compressed folder with the other (2) folder roots within it, the whole thing will be extracted to the correct places; if you extract it to the "Team Fortress 2" folder.

I don't have a "maps" folder in my VGUI folder yet, but the extraction process will place it there properly anyway, effectively extracting the folder with the file in it. You shouldn't need to create the folder yourself providing you decide to compress it with the correct folder setup.

edit: You should be able to do it starting with the "tf/" folder actually.

 

[Nineaxis]

Server operators can use .RES files to make quicklist photos download with their maps.

 

[IGNORANCE]

I feel stupid, but could someone please post a detailed step-by-step process on how to apply alpha-masks correctly in photoshop? Up 'till now my transparent sprays etc. have worked but i'm trying to add a custom menu photo through photoshop and i shows only a white block. Photos would be very useful as well. Thanks so much.

 

[YM]

Good that you posted today! I am about to finish up my payload map for the contest, Youme, can we include the quicklist photo in the .zip file with the .bsp for the contest?

Nope, you can pak them into the .bsp in the hope that one day valve allow that feature though.

 

[IGNORANCE]

A vague, black and white tutorial made by a three year old? Seriously, anything would help.

 

[Ravidge]

transparent sprays (which you said you can create) is the exact same thing as creating a transparent texture. Check your vmt file for anything that might cause the error.

If the texture is the problem, I doubt its the alpha layers that's making it go all white... anyways, I googled it for you and here is lots of video tutorials (of varying quality) on how to create transparent sprays and using alpha channels in general: http://video.google.com/videosearch...sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

 

[IGNORANCE]

Thanks for responding!! I watched a few of those vids, and i'm going to play with it a little and hopefuly come back with some good news.

 

[GrimGriz]

Server operators can use .RES files to make quicklist photos download with their maps.

Has anyone noticed any change in this? I just put the .res from cashworks back on the server and deleted my local thumbs...and they don't seem to be downloading (server pure is set to 1...if that might make a diff)

 

[HellJumper]

Ok, so I got this to work, and it is cool, but since pakrat doesn't work... how do I get others to see the thumbnail? I mean non-techy people will not want to create a vgui/maps folder.

Any easier ways?