Creating an icon

Drieick

Category: Art Level: Intermediate Created: Monday February 25, 2008 - 3:32 Updated: Monday February 25, 2008 - 4:58 Views: 9391 Summary: How to make an icon and impliment it into Empire At War

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The reason why we're saving it as a DDS and then converting it to a TGA is actually quite simple; you can read about it here.

Anyway, nows the tedious task of adding it to the game. You will need the MTD Editor from Mike.nl. Should look like this:



There are two files that are required: Mt_commandbar.mtd and Mt_commandbar.tga. Go File -> Open and choose Mt_commandbar.mtd - I suggest having two of both Mt_commandbar.mtd and Mt_commandbar.tga, the ones we're making and the originals.

The MTD Editor "Open file" window will reappear; now choose the TGA version, where a complete list of all current icons will appear.

Next, simply go Edit -> Insert File and choose the TGA format of the icon you just created. Save it, copy the name of the icon and then close the MTD Editor.

Lastly, open up Units_Space_Underworld_Crusader_Gunship.xml and look for Icon_Name; should be line 14, around there. Replace i_button_Crusader.tga with the name of the icon, save it and close it.

What's left is putting the files in the right places. Put Mt_commandbar.mtd and Mt_commandbar.tga in Data/Art/Textures, and put Units_Space_Underworld_Crusader_Gunship.xml in Data/XML.

Now just test it. If it doesn't work, then please comment.
And yes, I know, not the best icon - I'll make it up to you. Attached is one of my better icons, a 50x100 icon of the Arc Hammer.

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Here are the reccommended sizes for the icons:

Normal icon: 50x50 pixels
Big icon: 50x100 pixels