Map Workshop - Map's menu thumbnails

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MOCOLONI

L6: Sharp Member
Dec 16, 2014
373
89
Hey there. I don't know if this is the appropriate sub-forum to post this, but I couldn't find a better one. Anyway, I'd like to know how I can "embed" a map's thumbnail to the Steam Workshop so whenever the user loads it, they will see the picture while the map loads. I embedded the picture with Pakrat in the past, but I've read that if a server runs the map, those who will download the map from there will never see the picture, or won't see the picture at all, even if downloading it themselves and loading it in Singleplayer. I now know how to set that all up if making my own server, but a ".res" file and other files are needed, and can't be embedded in the map. Any ideas what can be done? It's not really for me to make people to see the thumbnail, but it makes the map look more "equipped".
 

EmNudge

L4: Comfortable Member
Sep 23, 2015
184
60
Hey there. I don't know if this is the appropriate sub-forum to post this, but I couldn't find a better one. Anyway, I'd like to know how I can "embed" a map's thumbnail to the Steam Workshop so whenever the user loads it, they will see the picture while the map loads. I embedded the picture with Pakrat in the past, but I've read that if a server runs the map, those who will download the map from there will never see the picture, or won't see the picture at all, even if downloading it themselves and loading it in Singleplayer. I now know how to set that all up if making my own server, but a ".res" file and other files are needed, and can't be embedded in the map. Any ideas what can be done? It's not really for me to make people to see the thumbnail, but it makes the map look more "equipped".
what do you mean by map thumbnails. do you mean those 3 pictures the user sees when he is loading a map? I believe those are spectator cameras, but I'm not sure. if they are, use info_observer_point.

unless you're talking about something else.

EDIT:
yeah, just figured out what you meant. nvm.
didn't know a .res file can't be embedded, gonna try and get back to you
 
Last edited:

worMatty

Repacking Evangelist
aa
Jul 22, 2014
1,257
999
You can include menu photo images in your map's pak, and they will usually show up whilst the map is loading. Those are the images that are also displayed on the mission briefing screen (the chalkboard). Here is a guide on how to make them. You need to pack them into the BSP in materials/vgui/maps using a program like VIDE.

There are two other types of images - menu_thumb and menu_screen, which are not displayed anywhere, and are for use only with the quick/consolidated server browser, but I have never gotten them to work. Just forget about these.

I have tested in the past and found that menu photo images included with Workshop maps do show up during loading. If you can see them on the mission briefing screen when the map loads, and you have packed them into the map and you haven't still got them hanging around in your local tf/materials folder, then that should prove they are working.
 

MOCOLONI

L6: Sharp Member
Dec 16, 2014
373
89
what do you mean by map thumbnails. do you mean those 3 pictures the user sees when he is loading a map? I believe those are spectator cameras, but I'm not sure. if they are, use info_observer_point.

unless you're talking about something else.

EDIT:
yeah, just figured out what you meant. nvm.
didn't know a .res file can't be embedded, gonna try and get back to you
.res files are only for multiplayer servers so clients will download stuff from it. The file is read while the client is joining the server, so I guess it won't work if embedded in the map.
You can include menu photo images in your map's pak, and they will usually show up whilst the map is loading. Those are the images that are also displayed on the mission briefing screen (the chalkboard). Here is a guide on how to make them. You need to pack them into the BSP in materials/vgui/maps using a program like VIDE.

There are two other types of images - menu_thumb and menu_screen, which are not displayed anywhere, and are for use only with the quick/consolidated server browser, but I have never gotten them to work. Just forget about these.

I have tested in the past and found that menu photo images included with Workshop maps do show up during loading. If you can see them on the mission briefing screen when the map loads, and you have packed them into the map and you haven't still got them hanging around in your local tf/materials folder, then that should prove they are working.
I know about how to make those thumbnails and that I have to pack them into the BSP, as mentioned in the thread. They already work as intended, here's a screenshot of the thumbnail of one of my maps.

Anyway, I will just leave it this way since no servers run small or beta maps, unless their quality is outstanding. Thank you guys!
 

ics

http://ics-base.net
aa
Jun 17, 2010
841
540
You can't pack in map thumbnales into the bsp, so they never work with workshop. Those map thumbnails that are visible in server browser, need to be outside of the map to get displayed. If you setup a server and have properly done res file and your map is on, those thumbs will show up on server browser but generally, no besides Valve is using them. Valve creates them for maps ingame though.
 

YM

LVL100 YM
aa
Dec 5, 2007
7,135
6,056
Jill was in chat a few minutes ago, so this is likely to change in the near future!
 

MOCOLONI

L6: Sharp Member
Dec 16, 2014
373
89
You can't pack in map thumbnales into the bsp, so they never work with workshop. Those map thumbnails that are visible in server browser, need to be outside of the map to get displayed. If you setup a server and have properly done res file and your map is on, those thumbs will show up on server browser but generally, no besides Valve is using them. Valve creates them for maps ingame though.
I'm talking only about the thumbnail picture that appears while the map is loading ("vgui\maps\menu_photos_mapname"), not any other(s).
 

ics

http://ics-base.net
aa
Jun 17, 2010
841
540
Well if its that file, it will load up during map load while connecting to server. If map is loaded singelplayer, there is no server and the image wont be displayed usually (maps load too fast). But if player connects server for the first time, downloads the map, on that session, it won't show. Next time map is on, it will.