How to Make Your Own Thumbnails For
Homeworld 2 Custom Maps
Required Software:
- Relic RDN tools (specifically
the DDS Plugin) [PROVIDED]
- Spooky's
ROT Tool
[PROVIDED]
- Photoshop
Elements (comes with some Wacom Tablets) [NOT PROVIDED, NOT REALLY NECESSAR 17217m1212r Y]
- The "defaultmapthumbnail.DDS" file (can also be extracted from
the "homeworld2.big" file) [PROVIDED]
Prep Work:
- Install Relic DDS plugin
(which is actually an nvidia one) from "C:\Program Files\Relic
Developer's Network\tools\Photoshop\Plug-Ins\File Formats" and move
it to the "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\Plug-Ins\File
Formats" directory.
- Take a screenshot (or any
image you want really) to represent the level's thumbnail image.
DDS File Creations:
- Open the Screenshot you want
to use as a thumb for your level
- Open in Photoshop
- Click Image
> Resize... to 365 wide 265 (you can resize your
screenshot to 365 and just constrain proportions). Note:
I think this may actually be 360 by 270, but am not sure. -Mikail
- Click Select
> All
- Click Image
> Rotate > Flip Vertically Note: your image will be mirrored when you are creating the
DDS file, when shown in game, it's right way up.
- Click Edit
> Copy
- Click File
> Open to open the "defaultmapthumbnail.dds"
file.
- Click Edit
> Paste, and use the Move tool to
move the thumbnail overtop of the original picture.
- Click File
> Save As...
- Select DDS
from the file type box.
- Name the file the same as
your ".level" name + "_thumb" (ex:
"2p_foundry.level" needs a file called "2p_foundry_thumb.dds")
- When prompted for the options
on the DDS file, select DTX1 - 1 Bit Alpha (this works)
- Click Save
Note: if you don't have Photoshop, then you could also
create a 32-bit .TGA image and convert it using the .DDS converter, found here. -Mikail
ROT file Creation:
- Open Spooky's
"ROTTool.exe"
- Click File
> Create From File
- Select the DDS file you want
to turn into a ROT file.
- Click Open.
The ROT file will automatically be created.
- Find the ROT file, and rename
it to remove the "_NEW" part so you're left with "<LevelName>_thumb.ROT",
where <LevelName> is the name of your
level.
- Place the ROT file in the
same directory as the ".level" file.
Viewing the Thumbnail (Confirming it works):
- Open Homeworld 2
- Start a Player vs CPU game.
- Select your map.
- The thumbnail should show!
Note: .ROT files will not transfer over Gamespy like
.level files do. In order to view the thumbnails, players will have to
download and install them separately.
Adding Text To Your Thumbnail With Ease
https://www.geocities.com/mikehorvath.geo/hw2_thumbnail_template.htm
TAKEN FROM SOURCE: https://wiki.hw2.info/TutorialLevelThumbnails
