Need help on starting to create a skybox

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
So, I would like to contribute to Iboharz's arctic theme pack by creating a skybox.

But after HOURS of scouring the internet, I cannot find the base texture that I'm looking for.
What I ask, is that somebody tell me how to find the trainyard skybox texture. That's it! Why do I need to go on a while goose chase for one stinking file :'(

Please?
 

Egan

aa
Feb 14, 2010
1,375
1,721
Download GCFScape to open .vpk files.

Open the tf2_textures_dir.vpk file inside of TF:
kuxOB1e.png


Find the trainyard VTFs inside of the materials/skybox folder, select them all, right click, extract to their own folder:
PVKvcKg.png


Open VTFedit and click Tools - Convert Folder:
QiFhroG.png


Set up the batch convert by having input be the folder of VTFs, output being anywhere you want, to .TGA (or .PNG, your choice):
SJMMp8a.png


Hit Convert, and you're done:
qN9FXjR.png
 

seth

aa
May 31, 2013
1,019
851
That also goes for extracting any other game content from the source files. Textures, models, soundscape scripts etc. can all be extracted from their respective VPK directories for reference/modification using GCFScape.

By the way, I have a skybox image pack on Gamebanana that includes high-res images of all the TF2 skyboxes already stitched together. Maybe you didn't scour the Internet hard enough.
 
Last edited:

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
That also goes for extracting any other game content from the source files. Textures, models, soundscape scripts etc. can all be extracted from their respective VPK directories for reference/modification using GCFScape.

By the way, I have a skybox image pack on Gamebanana that includes high-res images of all the TF2 skyboxes already stitched together. Maybe you didn't scour the Internet hard enough.

I thought they were just panoramas for art projects.
 

seth

aa
May 31, 2013
1,019
851
I thought they were just panoramas for art projects.

What? Panoramas for art projects? They are what the actual skybox textures look like. You can do whatever you want with them, pictures aren't just for "art projects".
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
What? Panoramas for art projects? They are what the actual skybox textures look like. You can do whatever you want with them, pictures aren't just for "art projects".

It did say they were put edited to fit together, so I thought they were changed to not have folds and such in the texture.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
If you mean the visible "corners" where sides come together, in theory the game's perspective will counteract that since it's a cube and the corners stretch away from you. In theory. So your goal is going to be to actually retain those corners in whatever you make out of it.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
I don't think it's possible to make a skycube where the corners are seamless from any angle. A skysphere would probably be able to do it just fine if Valve ever switched to using that instead. *Adds that to the list of things that ought to be changed in the new engine*
 

radarhead

Basically? Kind of a Huge Mess
aa
Mar 6, 2013
1,045
625
I don't think it's possible to make a skycube where the corners are seamless from any angle. A skysphere would probably be able to do it just fine if Valve ever switched to using that instead. *Adds that to the list of things that ought to be changed in the new engine*

But wouldn't skyspheres be really tough to make custom?
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
Okay, so, new problem:

I have all the textures ready to go in the files, but I don't know anything else. I tried to compile the map, but it's just a blank white space. Like a leak. (And no, there is NOT a leak. (and YES, I'm sure))

So,
-where do the files go?
-is there a special way to incorporate it in the map?
-do I need to compact them all into one VMF?
-other things?
 

killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
A skybox will consist of 6 .vtf's and 6 .vmt's, all in the materials/skybox folder. Each .vtf and .vmt pair represents one side of the sky "cube" and their file names need to be appended with ft, bk, rt, lf, up, or dn to designate where they go (sky_nameft, sky_namebk, etc.).

Each .vmt should contain this bit of text, changed accordingly for each .vtf:

Code:
unlitgeneric
{
	$basetexture "skybox/sky_nameft"
	$nofog 1
	$ignorez 1
}

Once you have all 12 files ready in the correct folder, you can enter the skybox name in your map properties and you'll be good to go :thumbup:
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
A skybox will consist of 6 .vtf's and 6 .vmt's, all in the materials/skybox folder. Each .vtf and .vmt pair represents one side of the sky "cube" and their file names need to be appended with ft, bk, rt, lf, up, or dn to designate where they go (sky_nameft, sky_namebk, etc.).

Each .vmt should contain this bit of text, changed accordingly for each .vtf:

Code:
unlitgeneric
{
	$basetexture "skybox/sky_nameft"
	$nofog 1
	$ignorez 1
}

Once you have all 12 files ready in the correct folder, you can enter the skybox name in your map properties and you'll be good to go :thumbup:

Yes, there is but ONE issue, I just noticed that there needs to be HDR lighting versions :|

So... how do I make THOSE?
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
Also, NEW problem...

The skybox is way WAY below where it's supposed to be. It auto-centered, I guess. Anyone know how to shove it up to ground level?
 

killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
Making your skybox HDR compatible is actually optional, and a lot more complicated. You can look here if you want to give it a try, but simply using an env_sun to achieve the bright sun effect works well enough.

As for the second problem, try adding this line to the .vmt's:

Code:
$basetexturetransform "center 0 0 scale 1 2 rotate 0 translate 0 0"