Integrating custom sprays into CS:S

scully · 05-23-2007, 04:14 PM

Well, I made a few, but unfortunately, I couldn't find what folder to put it into... Source doesnt have a "pldecal.wad" file anywhere that I could find.

Also: Does anyone know how to make the sprays clear and smooth? Mine keep coming out too pixely.

I would appreciate any input

Thank you in advance!

-scully

**Gogeta** · 05-23-2007, 04:26 PM

Source automatically does it for you... no more pldecal.woes ... all you have to do is in game, then options, and hit the add custom spray or whatever button... then use the directory to find whatever folder you have the picture in(ie. my pictures etc.) once you find the file, double click it and it will be there

**MagnaCentipede** · 05-23-2007, 05:02 PM

To have a cool, professional looking spray like the ones I make, be sure to use Targa (TGA) format when you create and import a spray, and scale it to 256x256 if it is square, 512x128 if it is a banner. Reasons:

1) Targa allows full alpha-channeling, importing BMP only allows color-key transparent on Pure Blue, and JPEG is nasty by nature. In GIMP, save as Targa, leave the starting corner alone, but uncheck RLE.
2) Sprays must be binary sizes, and the sizes above are the maximum for square and rectangle. Any larger or non-binary sizes will be resized and padded internally, and the internal filter isn't as clean as the cubic resizes you get in image software. It's a minor difference, but if you have small text and/or fine details on your spray the difference matters.

Close-up, the 256-square spray will have visible blocking. That is because the pixels are being stretched a lot, and because the image is compressed -- recompressed if you imported JPEG which is the kiss of death for detail -- into the Valve texture format, and that will lower detail somewhat. Avoiding solid blocks of color, especially red, can reduce that issue, though that's often not a workable solution.

Spectrums · 05-23-2007, 05:34 PM

Thanks Magna.

**Gogeta** · 05-23-2007, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagnaCentipede

To have a cool, professional looking spray like the ones I make, be sure to use Targa (TGA) format when you create and import a spray, and scale it to 256x256 if it is square, 512x128 if it is a banner. Reasons:

1) Targa allows full alpha-channeling, importing BMP only allows color-key transparent on Pure Blue, and JPEG is nasty by nature. In GIMP, save as Targa, leave the starting corner alone, but uncheck RLE.
2) Sprays must be binary sizes, and the sizes above are the maximum for square and rectangle. Any larger or non-binary sizes will be resized and padded internally, and the internal filter isn't as clean as the cubic resizes you get in image software. It's a minor difference, but if you have small text and/or fine details on your spray the difference matters.

Close-up, the 256-square spray will have visible blocking. That is because the pixels are being stretched a lot, and because the image is compressed -- recompressed if you imported JPEG which is the kiss of death for detail -- into the Valve texture format, and that will lower detail somewhat. Avoiding solid blocks of color, especially red, can reduce that issue, though that's often not a workable solution.

Yeah, that too

highly_flammable · 05-23-2007, 09:05 PM

How can you make your spray's background transparent? I already saved it as a JPEG, so there's no chance of just using the GIMP and unchecking the background button (it's flattened).

It looks cheesy with a white background. Can you turn white into, well, nothing (transparent)?

**MagnaCentipede** · 05-23-2007, 09:21 PM

If you still have your source material, re-create it and save it properly. If that is not an option, you can open the file, create the alpha mask you want, apply it, and save to Targa. Which would be more work depends on the complexity of the composition.

Never use Flatten in GIMP because Merge Visible Layers does the same thing, but Merge retains the alpha while Flatten will use the Background colour behind transparent areas.

Spectrums · 05-23-2007, 09:23 PM

In PS just make sure you make the document transparent.

**MagnaCentipede** · 05-23-2007, 09:26 PM

Spray-making doesn't justify the big bucks for Photosop.

highly_flammable · 05-23-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagnaCentipede

If you still have your source material, re-create it and save it properly. If that is not an option, you can open the file, create the alpha mask you want, apply it, and save to Targa. Which would be more work depends on the complexity of the composition.

Never use Flatten in GIMP because Merge Visible Layers does the same thing, but Merge retains the alpha while Flatten will use the Background colour behind transparent areas.

That's the problem. It's already been flattened.

highly_flammable · 05-23-2007, 09:51 PM

Actually, my spray is the same as my avatar, only without the flashing symbol. It's saved as a GIF animation. Maybe I could get just the layer with the flaming guy out of it and paste it onto a transparent background?

**MagnaCentipede** · 05-23-2007, 10:03 PM

The flashing symbol is do-able in a spray, but it'll probably take a hit on your resolution and take actual effort to create.

Post the full-res image and I'll take a crack at it. (Simple, not animated) Or, work it out on your own and grow more powerful in your gimp-fu.

highly_flammable · 05-23-2007, 10:04 PM

I tried it. It's in two layers: a white background, then a 2-frame layer (the flaming guy w/ and w/o the symbol)

**MagnaCentipede** · 05-23-2007, 10:12 PM

Deleting the background layer should be no problem, but if your character layer contains no alpha channel, you'll need to create one, otherwise you'll have a lot of barely-orange white pixels around it.

**ednos** · 05-23-2007, 11:15 PM

Flashing sprays are the most annoying things in the world.

05-23-2007, 04:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
scully Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Florida Age: 22 Posts: 30	Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Well, I made a few, but unfortunately, I couldn't find what folder to put it into... Source doesnt have a "pldecal.wad" file anywhere that I could find. Also: Does anyone know how to make the sprays clear and smooth? Mine keep coming out too pixely. I would appreciate any input Thank you in advance! -scully

05-23-2007, 04:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gogeta Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Statesboro, GA Age: 31 Posts: 3,300	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Source automatically does it for you... no more pldecal.woes ... all you have to do is in game, then options, and hit the add custom spray or whatever button... then use the directory to find whatever folder you have the picture in(ie. my pictures etc.) once you find the file, double click it and it will be there __________________ *\|TG-4th\| Gogeta*

05-23-2007, 05:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
MagnaCentipede Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,946	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S To have a cool, professional looking spray like the ones I make, be sure to use Targa (TGA) format when you create and import a spray, and scale it to 256x256 if it is square, 512x128 if it is a banner. Reasons: 1) Targa allows full alpha-channeling, importing BMP only allows color-key transparent on Pure Blue, and JPEG is nasty by nature. In GIMP, save as Targa, leave the starting corner alone, but uncheck RLE. 2) Sprays must be binary sizes, and the sizes above are the maximum for square and rectangle. Any larger or non-binary sizes will be resized and padded internally, and the internal filter isn't as clean as the cubic resizes you get in image software. It's a minor difference, but if you have small text and/or fine details on your spray the difference matters. Close-up, the 256-square spray will have visible blocking. That is because the pixels are being stretched a lot, and because the image is compressed -- recompressed if you imported JPEG which is the kiss of death for detail -- into the Valve texture format, and that will lower detail somewhat. Avoiding solid blocks of color, especially red, can reduce that issue, though that's often not a workable solution.

05-23-2007, 05:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
Spectrums Join Date: Jan 2007 Age: 15 Posts: 139	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Thanks Magna. __________________ ------------ ------------

05-23-2007, 09:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
highly_flammable Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 184	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S How can you make your spray's background transparent? I already saved it as a JPEG, so there's no chance of just using the GIMP and unchecking the background button (it's flattened). It looks cheesy with a white background. Can you turn white into, well, nothing (transparent)? __________________ Pyronoid \|TG\|

05-23-2007, 09:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
MagnaCentipede Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,946	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S If you still have your source material, re-create it and save it properly. If that is not an option, you can open the file, create the alpha mask you want, apply it, and save to Targa. Which would be more work depends on the complexity of the composition. Never use Flatten in GIMP because Merge Visible Layers does the same thing, but Merge retains the alpha while Flatten will use the Background colour behind transparent areas.

05-23-2007, 09:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
Spectrums Join Date: Jan 2007 Age: 15 Posts: 139	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S In PS just make sure you make the document transparent. __________________ ------------ ------------

05-23-2007, 09:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
MagnaCentipede Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,946	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Spray-making doesn't justify the big bucks for Photosop.

05-23-2007, 09:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
highly_flammable Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 184	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Actually, my spray is the same as my avatar, only without the flashing symbol. It's saved as a GIF animation. Maybe I could get just the layer with the flaming guy out of it and paste it onto a transparent background? __________________ Pyronoid \|TG\|

05-23-2007, 10:03 PM	#12 (permalink)
MagnaCentipede Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,946	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S The flashing symbol is do-able in a spray, but it'll probably take a hit on your resolution and take actual effort to create. Post the full-res image and I'll take a crack at it. (Simple, not animated) Or, work it out on your own and grow more powerful in your gimp-fu.

05-23-2007, 10:04 PM	#13 (permalink)
highly_flammable Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 184	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S I tried it. It's in two layers: a white background, then a 2-frame layer (the flaming guy w/ and w/o the symbol) __________________ Pyronoid \|TG\|

05-23-2007, 10:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
MagnaCentipede Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,946	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Deleting the background layer should be no problem, but if your character layer contains no alpha channel, you'll need to create one, otherwise you'll have a lot of barely-orange white pixels around it.

05-23-2007, 11:15 PM	#15 (permalink)
ednos Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,776	Re: Integrating custom sprays into CS:S Flashing sprays are the most annoying things in the world. __________________ The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~ Bertrand Russell I have a tendency to key out three or four things and then let them battle for supremacy while I key, so there's a lot of backspacing as potential statements are slaughtered and eaten by the victors. ~ Magna Centipede

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