Tutorial Converting images to texture files.

This tutorial is meant to teach and show you how to convert an image file into a texture file which is usable in source sdk. All tutorials I upload here are written by me.

First download vtf edit here:
Vtfedit125.11.exe

Once you have downloaded it and set it up, make sure to assossiate the files with it (it should ask you to do it in the installation.)

Ok once downloaded run vtfedit click on the file tab and click on import, then select the image that you want.


Once you try to load an image, you will get a new menu:

I would suggest leaving everything as default but changing the maximum width and height to 128 (this gives a good quality texture but file isn't massive) if you want better quality textures increase their size.

Next go to file and save as, name the texture what you want I suggest using something relative to the texture so you can find it in hammer.


Once you have saved it as a vtf click on the tools tab and click the option create vmt file:

make sure the base texture field has the same name as the vtf. if you just have the name of the texture, then the two files go in the
program files/steam/steamapps/(username)/counter-strike source/cstrike/materials directory, but if you want to put them in their own folder for example program files/steam/steamapps/(username)/counter-strike source/cstrike/materials/zm_miniature_room
then all you have to do is add the file name before the name with a / after it:

Once you have finished entering the fields click create and move the files to the right directory as mentioned above.

Hope this helps
alex

How about transparent images? I've hit a few kinks with those and I used alpha layers

Do you mean as a vtf / vmt texture? or do you mean as a normal image file?

Only way I know of is to delete the white/whatever background and then have the image on an invisable background, then save it as a BMP / TGA (file extensions that work with invisable backgrounds) which can probably be done with photoshop mmm. if thats not what you mean please explain otherwise if this isn't it I will try finding out, just ask

I've done tga via photoshop, but transferring them to textures, I loose the transparency

man you are a gentleman. i've been wondering how to do this forever, since there's no "Free" tutorials flying around the net.

i used to make most of my sprays transparent, and you need to use a gray-ish background.

i think it's

72
72
72

for the colors on photoshop.

then you apply that to the background, and you make the alpha layers.

idk if it works the same way with hammer :s

lol, ye ^^ a lot of tutorials around are hard to find or not really useful / good quality so glad it helped ^^