Topic: is there a tutorial or something on how to make textures for a ship

[manitoba]

i want to know how to make the textures for a ship. i know i can use paint shop and other programs to make them but i want to know how to do it. i can do a real basic , basic texture, but so far thats all ive been able to do. im stumped. cause here is a post of a ship im working on and i would like to get it textured  



http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/~starmada/tunforum/viewtopic.php?t=1862&sid=1e3b2603660c0a337e2b177f8c7a8af5


i would greatly appriciate the help.  

[Magnum357]

I can't really help you here since I'm sort of a novice too at SFC model building.  I work with Milkshape and the plugins for it only allow you to put 256 X 256 textures to your models.  So basically, I don't put a whole lot of detail anyway since you won't see most of it at that resolution.  I think the more advanced modelers on this board use more powerful 3D programs which allow for very elaberate textures.  

I don't know of any tutorials out their that would help you.  I know their was one that helped texture a little bit with Milkshape, but it was very crude for what you want.  Only advice I can give you is that start somewhat simple and don't get fusterated with shading and other lighting techniques.  Just concentrate on making the basic patterns of the ships hull first.  Once you got that, then add a little shading here and their.  Don't worry about lighting so much.  You would be suprised how well a cude textured model is enhanced with a good Illumination texture.  

I know what you mean on Tutorials though, I'm having trouble with Fed hull plating.  Especially the Saucer sections.  I can't seem to get a good circular hull pattern and correct Hull regestries on my own.  I'm not sure how some of these guys do it.

[Magnum357]

Oh, and one last thing I fogot to mention when texturing.  Since you are working with Paint Shop Pro (I do too) make your textures pretty big (like 2X of what you want) then once its done, shrink it too normal size.  This simple little technique will actually help you apply shading and line seperations better then trying to draw it by hand.  Although a rather crude mechanism to do this, it does make the model "feel" a little more 3D overall.

[Solid Snake]

im no expert, but one thing i do know.. paint shop pro is not exactly the best texturing program.  i use photoshop. its supremely better imho.... except for maybe PSP8 which i havent tryed yet.  PSP never really had a decent layering ability. layering your textures before you flatten give you more freedom to apply colors and stuff.  and plus you can apply hull plating patterns more effectivly with the opacity.

milkshape doest let you view high res textures? thats funny, cuz i use high res textures with MS3D all the time.

[Magnum357]

Really?  That is really strange.  Your right, Milkshape itself does allow for higher resolutions of textures (like 500 X 500 that I use a lot) but when I export the Model to .MOD my textures only work in 256 X256 resolution.  I wonder if I'm missing something here.  Can you export higher resolutions in MS then 256?

Ya, Photo Shop is superior then Paint Shop Pro, but PS is a lot more expensive and really hogs up a lot of resources on your computer if you don't have a high end machine (I still use a P3 at 600 Mhz).  I have messed with PS some, but I feel more comfortable with PSP then PS.  You would be suprised how much you can do with PSP if you are creative.  

[Solid Snake]

after you export can you replace the textures with a high res texture? my experience with MS3d MOD format is lacking.

i agree with you PSP does have some useful tool tha PS doesnt have.  whatever you are comfortable with is best. for me that just happens to be PS   P4 2ghz can handle the resource thing. so im in the clear.  

[Raven Night]

You can apply simple maps to sections of the ship.........like set 5 maps with illums, each map applied to one or two polys on the model.......export the model to mod, and use the SFC2ED program and PSP to upsize the textures, rework them, and apply them to the polys you need. The SFC2ED program is so basic and easy to use anyone can do texture application.

Remember that any textures that are set at 256 can be upsized in PSP and they will still apply properly........you just have to redo the textures because they will look like crap.

Well, that's it. Someone has to apply texture sets to models for me, because I have not learned to use MIlkshape or Max...............yet.

When I do............look out  

[manitoba]

maybe i still haven't clearly stated what i meant. how do u make a texture. i know how to put one on a ship, i know how to stretch them and all that stuff. i can take a picture of a color turn that as a texture. but how do u make ur own textures. do i scribble on a piece of paper copy to bmp form and use that or what.

[manitoba]

that stuff isnt the problem.  doing that stuff with a already made texture isnt the problem at all. how to make my own texture is the problem. not how to add it or anything like that

[manitoba]

http://www.darksaber.freeserve.co.uk/tuttexture02.htm

that is more closely to what i meant on making a texture