[Akalabeth Angel]

How exactly do you get these things working?

Okay, so I followed Goober's tutorial made the template and saved a pcx file. As I understand it, you need to replace "nameplate" texture with the new file. However, when I open up FSOpen the nameplate texture does not appear. So whatever, I just edit it with notepad and put it in there. So for example I put

$Texture Replace:
+old: nameplate
+new: bastion

Then I put Bastion.pcx in the data/maps folder. I load the mission, and nothing. I try to do a Fenris as well. . . .but nothing. For the fenris I try the DDS format. Still zippo. I've been searching the forum and the wiki for an hour or two and can't figure it out. Some old threads "nameplate release" have zip files that have long since expired. Trashman's FoW campaign seems to use nameplates but it's not really clear where they go . . and for the .fc2 files he seems to use the above format.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[Angelus]

IIRC you have to select first the nameplatetexture in the dropdown menu, then write the replacing texture name in the "new texture" box, and check the "Duplicate Model Texture replacement" box in the ship editor for the nameplate.

Wait, if i understand you correctly you've tried to overwrite the original file?
In this case you have to name it the same like the old one.

+old: nameplate
+new: nameplate

[TrashMan]

You don't have to check the "Duplicate Model Texture replacement" box IIRC. I don't recall doing it and nameplates work for me.

Be careful when you're typing in the name -  I recall I sometimes had to repeat the process for FRED to remember that the texture should be changed.
Open the FRED mission and check under texture replacement if the new name is there. If it's not, then FRED didn't save properly...or he couldn't find hte texture.

But it should go in data/maps/

[Angelus]

Yep, sometimes you have to save the mission to make changes ( textures on models and backgrounds- .pof files ) visible, at least i have to do that with stuff i added to BtrL.

[Akalabeth Angel]

      Okay, I think I know what the problem is. How do I get the HTL models into FRED? I usually do show outlines, but this time I did show models and I see that the nameplate replaced a texture on the old model (ie Bastion was smeared all across the bow of the Fenris) . . that's why I wasn't getting nameplate textures. Or I guess one obvious thing would be to move the assets VP into the main folder. Maybe I'll try that.

      What does HTL stand for anyway I wonder. . .


EDIT - OKAY, so I got the . . ."nameplate" as a replacement option. Now the damn FRED can't find the file. So annoying.

[TrashMan]

It has to be in the maps folder...and you have to type the name in correctly.

[Akalabeth Angel]

It has to be in the maps folder...and you have to type the name in correctly.

      Yeah, now it's working with the Bastion name . . but not the one I made for the Fenris. White font on green 255 BG. "file not found".  Hmmmn . . .


EDIT - okay, there must be something wrong with my file. I renamed my file Bastion and renamed Bastion to something else, and they were both rejected and loaded as per normal. See if I can figure it out . . .

[Akalabeth Angel]

    Okay, I more/less got it to work as a DDS file following the thing on teh wiki (well, except for the fact the "nameplate" is a block of white). I think I can figure it out from here . . .maybe

[karajorma]

      Okay, I think I know what the problem is. How do I get the HTL models into FRED?

How can I get FRED to accept a mod?

If you work on several different campaigns like I do you're probably sick of having to move files around so that FRED can find everything it needs. Well fortunately FRED now accepts mods in a similar way to FS2_Open. Since FRED doesn't have a launcher you have to make a shortcut and give that a command line option pointing FRED at the mod using the -mod flag.
If you don't know how to do that I'll explain.

   1. Open up your FreeSpace2 folder and right click on your FRED2_Open exe.
   2. Choose Create Shortcut.
   3. Right click on the new shortcut and choose properties.
   4. In the Target box type -mod Your Mod's Name after all the stuff already present (It will read something like F:\Games\FreeSpace2\Fred2_OpenGL_r.exe -mod someMod once you're finished)
   5. Click Okay
   6. Use the shortcut to run FRED.

I find it best to make a folder full of such shortcuts on my desktop. That way I can run FRED for any of the several campaigns I'm working on with a couple of mouse clicks.

In this case mediavps is the name of the mod you want to use. Or -mod yourmod, mediavps if you have your own mod too.

[Akalabeth Angel]

      Okay, I think I know what the problem is. How do I get the HTL models into FRED?

How can I get FRED to accept a mod?

If you work on several different campaigns like I do you're probably sick of having to move files around so that FRED can find everything it needs. Well fortunately FRED now accepts mods in a similar way to FS2_Open. Since FRED doesn't have a launcher you have to make a shortcut and give that a command line option pointing FRED at the mod using the -mod flag.
If you don't know how to do that I'll explain.

   1. Open up your FreeSpace2 folder and right click on your FRED2_Open exe.
   2. Choose Create Shortcut.
   3. Right click on the new shortcut and choose properties.
   4. In the Target box type -mod Your Mod's Name after all the stuff already present (It will read something like F:\Games\FreeSpace2\Fred2_OpenGL_r.exe -mod someMod once you're finished)
   5. Click Okay
   6. Use the shortcut to run FRED.

I find it best to make a folder full of such shortcuts on my desktop. That way I can run FRED for any of the several campaigns I'm working on with a couple of mouse clicks.

In this case mediavps is the name of the mod you want to use. Or -mod yourmod, mediavps if you have your own mod too.

      Yeah, that sounds like a better idea. What's even more annoying is a person clicks on an .fc2 file and the wrong FRED opens it up. Retail FRED instead of Open for example. . .
      Thanks

[Akalabeth Angel]

It has to be in the maps folder...and you have to type the name in correctly.

       Hmmn, I opened up some of your FoW things and it looks like the main difference between  yours and mine is that, on the channels box all of the channels have black BGs plus the gray font overtop. Whereas when I add a channel, only the new channel Alpha 1 is black with text. While the others all remain white. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, photoshop isnt really my forte. But I more/less followed the wiki's steps as far as I can tell but it just gives me a white rectangle (ie white BG is not at all transparent).

[Akalabeth Angel]

      Damnit to hell.
      Okay . . . here's what I do:

Using Photoshop CS2

1. File/New - - > 514 x 128 resolution 72 RGB image

2. Image appears with a white background. I then click on the channel box. And click on "create new channel icon"

3. New channel appears called "Alpha 1" (in typical freespace fashion, haha). At this point, I have in the layers box a background layer, pure white. Which is locked. In the channels layer I have 5 channels, RGB, Red, Green, Blue and Alpha 1. Alpha 1 is black, the other channels are white.

4. With Alpha 1 channel selected, I use the type tool and using the stop font I write a ship name (ie GTD Moron) using 200/200/200 grey.

5. Now at this point, the background is white. Channels RGB, Red, Green, Blue are white. Alpha 1 channel is black with GTD Moron in 200/200/200 grey.

6. I go to save as, and select DDS format. I select DXT5  format . . it says "DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha" I click "2D Preview". It shows me my 'nameplate'. On the bottom of the preview is a black rectangle on the left, and a white rectangle on the right. Moving up . . .ah screw it here's a screenshot (see bottom).

7. Anyway, I save it. Then I load it up against with Photoshop, all I get is a white rectangle. The alpha channel is missing. Similarly, I load it into FSOpen, white rectangle. I'm obviously doing something wrong . . . my photoshop-fu is not all that good.

[blowfish]

When you create a new file in photoshop, make it with a transparent background (should be in the same window where you set the resolution)

[Akalabeth Angel]

When you create a new file in photoshop, make it with a transparent background (should be in the same window where you set the resolution)

    It complains that I have too many channels when I try to save it as a DDS file.

[blowfish]

When you create a new file in photoshop, make it with a transparent background (should be in the same window where you set the resolution)

    It complains that I have too many channels when I try to save it as a DDS file.

Make sure you are saving as the right dxt format (dxt1, dxt3, dxt5, I don't know which one you need).  Alternately you could just use TGA.