Custom Textures, any help guides??

[Phendrena]

Hi,

I've started to get back in creating my own maps for Doom/Doom 2. While most of the maps are purely me messing around and seeing what I can do I would like to take it a small step further and add some polish to my maps.

I'd like to create and add some custom textures to my maps. I would prefer to add a new texture completely rather than replace any textures. While I do know my way round map creation (for the most part!) I've never considered adding a custom texture.

Are there any guides around that would explain, in plain English, how to add textures to my maps/wads? Also would anyone recommend a particular utility to assist in adding textures (preferably one that runs with Win7)??

Thanks,

Dave

[Blastfrog]

Hi. I'd recommend using Slade 3 for general WAD editing (besides maps, which it's unable to edit yet). Avoid the program called "XWE", trust me, it's old, buggy, and instills bad editing habits, and there's a chance it will corrupt your WAD file. You'll want to import your custom texture as an image between lump markers called "PP_START" and "PP_END", and convert it to "Doom format", using the Doom palette. After that, you'll want to copy the target IWAD's TEXTURE1, PNAMES, and TEXTURE2 (if it exists) into your map's PWAD. Then, take your converted images for textures and right click it, and tell it to add it to "TEXTUREx", which will add it to the texture definitions.

I can explain it in more detail later, but this should hopefully get you started. :)

[printz]

PP_START and PP_END (or any variation thereof, like P_START, P1_START...) are not necessary.

[Blastfrog]

printz said:

PP_START and PP_END (or any variation thereof, like P_START, P1_START...) are not necessary.

No, but it's convention, and it's good for organization.

[Phendrena]

Sodaholic said:

Hi. I'd recommend using Slade 3 for general WAD editing (besides maps, which it's unable to edit yet). Avoid the program called "XWE", trust me, it's old, buggy, and instills bad editing habits, and there's a chance it will corrupt your WAD file. You'll want to import your custom texture as an image between lump markers called "PP_START" and "PP_END", and convert it to "Doom format", using the Doom palette. After that, you'll want to copy the target IWAD's TEXTURE1, PNAMES, and TEXTURE2 (if it exists) into your map's PWAD. Then, take your converted images for textures and right click it, and tell it to add it to "TEXTUREx", which will add it to the texture definitions.

I can explain it in more detail later, but this should hopefully get you started. :)

Cheers, I'll download Slade later on and have a poke around. I'll probably need more info but like you said its a starting point :)

Thanks,

Dave

[ReX]

Phendrena said:

Are there any guides around that would explain, in plain English, how to add textures to my maps/wads? Also would anyone recommend a particular utility to assist in adding textures (preferably one that runs with Win7)??

Here is a tutorial on using custom textures using XWE.

[Blastfrog]

ReX said:

Here is a tutorial on using custom textures using XWE.

Are you trying to get him off on the wrong foot? Nothing bugs me more than people recommending XWE to new users.

[zark]

Sodaholic said:

Are you trying to get him off on the wrong foot? Nothing bugs me more than people recommending XWE to new users.

Just because you prefer using a different tool, doesn't necessarily mean ReX's suggestion is wrong.

There are a number of tools available for Doom editing - both lump manipulation and map editing; different people prefer different tools. Surely it's up to the individual user to decide what works best for them after evaluating the information given to them?

On-topic, I'm not sure how up-to-date this is, but I've found a tutorial on the Slade wiki on how to import textures using Slade.

[ReX]

Sodaholic said:

....people recommending XWE to new users.

Actually, I wasn't necessarily recommending XWE, merely pointing him to a tutorial that uses XWE.

And as for bugging you, I suppose I ought to be delighted that my "recommendation" had an unintended bonus.

Phendrena, just to have full disclosure here, XWE is not currently maintained, whereas Slade 3 is. As such, if you go down the XWE path (and use it as your sole resource managment utility) you may find it lacking later.

[Phendrena]

Now then, now then, let's not start bickering like we are all 6 year old children :)

I'm open to trying out all kinds of tools that will help, but if XWE is likely to corrupt the WAD or lead into bad habits then it's probably something i'll avoid for now.

Dave

[ReX]

Phendrena said:

Now then, now then, let's not start bickering like we are all 6 year old children :)

But that's precisely what I am - a 6-year old child. A highly erudite 6-year old (he says, modestly), but undoubtedly still infantile. Heh.

...if XWE is likely to corrupt the WAD or lead into bad habits then it's probably something i'll avoid for now.

Different people have had different experiences with the various utilities. I have used XWE for may years without major problems, but have had serious problems with (earlier versions) of SLADE. XWE has some limitations, for which I compensate by using SlumpEd (another program that is not currently maintained). I have been assured by well-respected members of the forum that the previous problems with SLADE have been fixed, and I intend to give it a shot soon. Until then, I continue to use XWE & SlumpEd with nary a complaint.

But, as zarkyb suggests, you ought to try out the various tools yourself and see what suits your temperament and needs the best.

[Phendrena]

ReX said:

you ought to try out the various tools yourself and see what suits your temperament and needs the best.

As long as the tools are easy to use i'm quite happy :)

[Pottus]

ReX said:

Different people have had different experiences with the various utilities. I have used XWE for may years without major problems, but have had serious problems with (earlier versions) of SLADE. XWE has some limitations, for which I compensate by using SlumpEd (another program that is not currently maintained). I have been assured by well-respected members of the forum that the previous problems with SLADE have been fixed, and I intend to give it a shot soon. Until then, I continue to use XWE & SlumpEd with nary a complaint.

You know XWE is pretty good, and there is one thing I've been trying to get to work in Slade that XWE seems to have no problem doing. Anyways I have this fire texture I got from Deus Vult II (XR21_01) I've converted it into an animated sky texture for use as a doublesky. XWE has no problem importing the Sky and it works fine but Slade always seems to fuck it up and the transparency appears black.