Using this guide, I'm going to try and make my first texture pack... I'm really nervous, and I don't exactly know where to start. I do have a sort of theme in my head, but I still don't know how I should go at it.
Are you unsure of how to physically make a texture pack, or are you unsure of what to do artistically?
I can help you with the former, but I'm afraid the latter is up to you. :smile.gif:
It's a little bit of both. A good place to start would be great, too.
I sort of randomly stumbled onto the Monster Spawner, then thought I could add an Obsidian-based texture to that, but then I realized I should change the texture of the Obsidian, first. Then, I thought about adding an Eye of Ender to the Monster Spawner, but then I wanted to change the texture of that, then I wanted to change the texture of the Ender Portal Block to make it look more Obsidian-ish...I realized how much I was jumping around, so I'm mostly worried about jumbling around and getting lost, I guess.
The best advice I can give you is to pick a theme or style you're interested and stick with that. Everything else will fall into place as you go. :smile.gif:
Feedback Request Part Five: Thread organization and Pack marketing
Please respond to the following questions, or suggest other topics/questions.
1)To artists: How is your thread currently organized? Do you think the layout could be better? What would you change?
My threads are organized with the TAU emblem on the top of the page, followed by the "logo" I designed for the texture pack. After that, I post some screenshots and then a changelog, then a license, as well as sometimes a to-do list. After that come download links. I rely on spoilers heavily, so as to make it more user-friendly.
To texture users (non-artists are artists alike):What types of threads draw you in? What features (text, screenshots, videos, etc) grab your attention the most? What do you look for in text, screenshots, videos, etc?
I look for threads that have proper formatting first and foremost. Then I try to look and see that the pack not named "XYZ"-craft, because for some reason that's a turnoff for me. I prefer to see a nice screenshot or two towards the top, as well as good grammar and spelling throughout the OP.
2) What is the number one thing you look for (in a thread) when deciding whether or not to download a pack?
This may be just because I'm an admin of the TAU, but I always ALWAYS look to make sure that the textures are made by the author, and if they aren't, that the proper licensing is included.
3) What is your biggest turn-off in terms of pack presentation/thread organization?
Bad grammar and spelling are the biggest things that turn me away from pack threads. The next biggest thing is if they have it takes two days to scroll down and read everything. Use spoilers, folks.
4) What types of titles draw you in? Long titles? Short titles? Titles with fancy symbols? Catchy subtitles or informative subtitles?
Properly formatted titles are what I look for, as I noted earlier. Also, the more detail, the better. I do like a catchy subtitle, it seems to stick more to me, for some reason.
5) What types of titles make you grimace/avoid the thread? Long titles? Short titles? Titles with fancy symbols? Catchy subtitles or informative subtitles?
I find it rather "lame" when people use symbols or long strings of characters on their pack's title. I don't like when the subtitle has nothing to do with the pack as well.
6) To artists: Where do you market your pack? Do you link back to one thread, or do you put download links on every site? Which seems to work better for gaining more downloads/fans?
I have my packs on PlanetMinecraft and these forums. Download-wise, PMC is a much better resource. However, I like the customizability and extension support that these forums offer.
To texture users (non-artists are artists alike): Where do you go trolling for new packs? Do you try to avoid links that direct you to another page (aka, if the link states 'go to this other website to download')? Do you avoid links that use adfly? Mediafire?
I just browse the forums here and sometimes search on PMC for different types of packs, preferably non-popular ones. I have a strong opinion for adfly and other sites like that: if it is not your artwork, DO NOT post those links. However, I am fine supporting an artist by clicking and having to wait 5 seconds. Really, that's not going to add up and detract time off my life, and it helps the artist make a few fractions of a cent. It's the thought that counts. :smile.gif:
All you need to do is compile your PNG and put it into a zip. Name that zip something and drop it into the texturepacks folder. Pick the zip in the ingame list and it should work. Not hard, really.
Alright, I have some textures I want to test, but I have no idea how to get the terrain.png into the game. I tried installing another texture pack and replacing the terrain.png with my own, but it didn't work.
What should I do?
Nevermind, problem solved.
Are there any guides on editing the grasscolor.png and the menu textures? Also, how do I access them?
You access them the same way you access the other generic minecraft files- open up the jar file with 7-zip or winrar, then dragon and drop grasscolor.png and gui.png into your desktop. You can open them in your image editing program from there.
As for guides on what to do with them once you have them....I'm working on it. :smile.gif:
I have a quick question, which hopefully hasn't already been answered somewhere in the topic.
So, while customizing my own texture pack (essentially Painterly with a bunch of other stuff added into the terrain.png and sometimes modified a bit), I've noticed an odd file called "tunnel.png" in the misc folder. What does it do?
An example of a texture pack with such a file in its misc folder is SMP's Revival. If you could investigate this and tell what it does, I would greatly appreciate it. :smile.gif:
I have a quick question, which hopefully hasn't already been answered somewhere in the topic.
So, while customizing my own texture pack (essentially Painterly with a bunch of other stuff added into the terrain.png and sometimes modified a bit), I've noticed an odd file called "tunnel.png" in the misc folder. What does it do?
An example of a texture pack with such a file in its misc folder is SMP's Revival. If you could investigate this and tell what it does, I would greatly appreciate it. :smile.gif:
That, my baffled friend, would be the texture for the ender portal. :smile.gif:
...
I do understand what it is for, but I don't understand how it works (just as particlefield.png and glint.png) (glint is for the shining effect on enchantments, pariclefield is suggested to be the stars in the sky on a French forum but I'm not sure about that (Yes, I can read and understand French...)).
If there is any info on that maybe you could add them to the guide (to be really all-inclusive), but there is no hurry.
-ThOR
I'm not sure how it works yet, but that's definitely on the list for things that need to be figured out. :smile.gif:
Just so you guys know, the particlefield.png is the End Portal texture, while tunnel.png is used as the sky texture in the End. The Dokucraft Continuation changed tunnel.png's normal static with blue stars, and I happened to notice and went looking...
Just so you guys know, the particlefield.png is the End Portal texture, while tunnel.png is used as the sky texture in the End. The Dokucraft Continuation changed tunnel.png's normal static with blue stars, and I happened to notice and went looking...
So yeah, now you know :tongue.gif:
*kicks self*
I hadn't realized you could change the sky in the end. I thought the static was hard-coded...derp.
Actually, looking at 1.0... it isn't even static anymore. Not sure if they just changed the tunnel.png or they just use particlefield.png now... Anyways, it's still editable, either way.
EDIT:
It would appear that it is the particlefield.png with a blue tint added. Wanna check it out to confirm?
PM me about the fonts, I know a thing or two about them. Steel, didn't I already send you a PM covering practically every little troubleshooting bit on fonts?
The only thing I left out was style, but that's the point of fonts -- entirely your own, basic pixelart characters, everyone has their own.
PM me about the fonts, I know a thing or two about them. Steel, didn't I already send you a PM covering practically every little troubleshooting bit on fonts?
The only thing I left out was style, but that's the point of fonts -- entirely your own, basic pixelart characters, everyone has their own.
I do believe you did. I'll have to pick your brain later to supplement what you already sent me, though. ;0
@ Steel
I really like this guide. Personally I'm waiting for dithering and highlights and shadows to be added, but in the meantime I'm just going to lurk. In the new section on the "Bad Title" I noticed you misspelled theme. Also your back to top button at the bottom of the post is broken.
@ Steel
I really like this guide. Personally I'm waiting for dithering and highlights and shadows to be added, but in the meantime I'm just going to lurk. In the new section on the "Bad Title" I noticed you misspelled theme. Also your back to top button at the bottom of the post is broken.
Thanks for pointing out the spelling error. :wink.gif:
I don't know why the 'top' button is broken-- I copied and pasted the same line of code from the other buttons, but for some reason that one just doesn't work. I wonder if you can only have a certain number of links leading to each anchor....
And sorry to keep you waiting, but the technique section won't come out for a while. For the scope of the class project I decided to limit myself to technical aspects. I'll still do techniques/shading/etc, but I have to finish what's due for my class first. Sorry.
Thank you for taking the time to write this. Also, thank you to all the individuals that have contributed their experience to his compilation. I've found this very helpful as I prepare for my first texture pack. I'll be keeping an eye on it for further updates! :smile.gif:
I like how I bash bad spelling and grammar, then I have soooo many speling mistakes in my post.
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Retired StaffAre you unsure of how to physically make a texture pack, or are you unsure of what to do artistically?
I can help you with the former, but I'm afraid the latter is up to you. :smile.gif:
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Retired StaffThe best advice I can give you is to pick a theme or style you're interested and stick with that. Everything else will fall into place as you go. :smile.gif:
My threads are organized with the TAU emblem on the top of the page, followed by the "logo" I designed for the texture pack. After that, I post some screenshots and then a changelog, then a license, as well as sometimes a to-do list. After that come download links. I rely on spoilers heavily, so as to make it more user-friendly.
I look for threads that have proper formatting first and foremost. Then I try to look and see that the pack not named "XYZ"-craft, because for some reason that's a turnoff for me. I prefer to see a nice screenshot or two towards the top, as well as good grammar and spelling throughout the OP.
This may be just because I'm an admin of the TAU, but I always ALWAYS look to make sure that the textures are made by the author, and if they aren't, that the proper licensing is included.
Bad grammar and spelling are the biggest things that turn me away from pack threads. The next biggest thing is if they have it takes two days to scroll down and read everything. Use spoilers, folks.
Properly formatted titles are what I look for, as I noted earlier. Also, the more detail, the better. I do like a catchy subtitle, it seems to stick more to me, for some reason.
I find it rather "lame" when people use symbols or long strings of characters on their pack's title. I don't like when the subtitle has nothing to do with the pack as well.
I have my packs on PlanetMinecraft and these forums. Download-wise, PMC is a much better resource. However, I like the customizability and extension support that these forums offer.
I just browse the forums here and sometimes search on PMC for different types of packs, preferably non-popular ones. I have a strong opinion for adfly and other sites like that: if it is not your artwork, DO NOT post those links. However, I am fine supporting an artist by clicking and having to wait 5 seconds. Really, that's not going to add up and detract time off my life, and it helps the artist make a few fractions of a cent. It's the thought that counts. :smile.gif:
"sometimes, wizards are so awesome, it hurts"
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Retired StaffYou access them the same way you access the other generic minecraft files- open up the jar file with 7-zip or winrar, then dragon and drop grasscolor.png and gui.png into your desktop. You can open them in your image editing program from there.
As for guides on what to do with them once you have them....I'm working on it. :smile.gif:
So, while customizing my own texture pack (essentially Painterly with a bunch of other stuff added into the terrain.png and sometimes modified a bit), I've noticed an odd file called "tunnel.png" in the misc folder. What does it do?
An example of a texture pack with such a file in its misc folder is SMP's Revival. If you could investigate this and tell what it does, I would greatly appreciate it. :smile.gif:
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Retired StaffThat, my baffled friend, would be the texture for the ender portal. :smile.gif:
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Retired StaffI'm not sure how it works yet, but that's definitely on the list for things that need to be figured out. :smile.gif:
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Retired StaffSo yeah, now you know :tongue.gif:
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Retired Staff*kicks self*
I hadn't realized you could change the sky in the end. I thought the static was hard-coded...derp.
Anyways, it's still editable, either way.
EDIT:It would appear that it is the particlefield.png with a blue tint added. Wanna check it out to confirm?
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The only thing I left out was style, but that's the point of fonts -- entirely your own, basic pixelart characters, everyone has their own.
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Retired StaffI do believe you did. I'll have to pick your brain later to supplement what you already sent me, though. ;0
I really like this guide. Personally I'm waiting for dithering and highlights and shadows to be added, but in the meantime I'm just going to lurk. In the new section on the "Bad Title" I noticed you misspelled theme. Also your back to top button at the bottom of the post is broken.
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Retired StaffThanks for pointing out the spelling error. :wink.gif:
I don't know why the 'top' button is broken-- I copied and pasted the same line of code from the other buttons, but for some reason that one just doesn't work. I wonder if you can only have a certain number of links leading to each anchor....
And sorry to keep you waiting, but the technique section won't come out for a while. For the scope of the class project I decided to limit myself to technical aspects. I'll still do techniques/shading/etc, but I have to finish what's due for my class first. Sorry.
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