Step-by-Step, Detailed Guide for Custom Textures Using GIMP for SFM Models?

[TruBlu0014]

Hello all.

I'm trying to get into GIMP and attempt custom textures. However; I'm having a little difficulty and the numerous tutorials out there use GScape or VTFEdit. I have GIMP with the .vtf plugin, so I don't see why I should need to use those other tools.

So, does anyone have a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to make a custom texture, from start to finish for an SFM model? And what I mean by "start to finish" means from the time it's made in GIMP to the application of it inside the SFM folder to the loading of it on the model".

I appreciate any and all help. Even if I have to read a 20-step numbered list guide, I'm grateful.

[The Scurvy Orange]

Welp, first and foremost, you're right, you don't need VTFEdit if you have the vtf plugin for gimp. You don't need GCFScape for reskinning either, but it's a useful tool to have when you want new items from in tf2 that aren't in sfm, or you want mods from tf2, since that tool is used to extract .vpk files in to materials/models folders that can be used in sfm. You can keep VTFEdit around if you want though, it's useful if you need to open a vtf real quick without editing it, but you don't want to open gimp.

While I don't have SUPER detailed tuts, I have one VERY VERY old tut on reskinning. http://scurvyorangesfm.tumblr.com/post/99845023138/sfm-tips-n-pointers-behind-the-scenes-edition . Where the vtfs are depends on what model you want to reskin. The mercs from TF2 are listed under materials/models/player/(insert_merc's_name_here). Miss Pauling, used in the tut, is listed under materials/models/crazyb2000/tf2/misspauling. Check your tf folder, workshop folder, and usermod folder depending on if it's a file you extracted from the game, a file you downloaded from steam (like Miss P) or a file you manually installed in usermod. So it heavily depends on what model you want to use. Also if you get that file off that tut PLEASE don't reupload it anywhere, I had a spell of people trying to put it up here and I don't want it on steam, thanks. Really been meaning to update it and make it better, though, I just haven't gotten around to it yet...

As for applying it in sfm, I use override materials. Someone else already has a tut on steam, here. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=291500222

I also had a run-through of all the commands I know that I could get to work from within sfm. Some I know that don't work, some I know that only work in the vmt and not overrides, but this tut is only for ones that do work as overrides. http://scurvyorangesfm.tumblr.com/post/141506984578/useful-override-material-commands

One last note, the gimp plugin for normalmaps is also very useful. The vtf plugin only lets you open them, it unfortunately doesn't account for ALL things Source. The normalmap plugin is here. http://registry.gimp.org/node/69

Good luck, hope these links help! And work. But mostly help. As far as I'm aware there aren't that many people who know how to reskin these days, so it's a valuable thing to know, very versatile. You can really change up a model with just reskins. :)

[TruBlu0014]

Thank you SOOOOO much, Scurvy! I will definitely take a look at this when I have more time. Can't thank you enough!

[The Scurvy Orange]

Aaaah you're welcome, glad I could be of help! :D

[TruBlu0014]

Originally posted by The Scurvy Orange:

Aaaah you're welcome, glad I could be of help! :D

One more thing. What is this "normalmap" GIMP plugin doing? I can't really see a difference. I know I installed it right though and it is being read by GIMP.

[The Scurvy Orange]

Originally posted by TruBlu0014 SFM:

Originally posted by The Scurvy Orange:

Aaaah you're welcome, glad I could be of help! :D

One more thing. What is this "normalmap" GIMP plugin doing? I can't really see a difference. I know I installed it right though and it is being read by GIMP.

Sometimes it's called a bumpmap. Valve's wiki page on it is here. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Bump_map

Basically it adds a texture to the texture. Like is it smooth like silk, does it have a cloth pattern, bits of noise for stone, stuff like that. It shows up under filters>maps>normalmap on my end. It doesn't change gimp by default like the vtf plugin, it's a thing that edits vtfs for you if you want to make a bumpmap at some point. You can also do it through websites online, but I've never gotten any of them to work, so I tend to recommend people use the gimp plugin. Sorry, should've linked the wiki before! Completely forgot about it. It has a lot of useful stuff listed. :P

[TruBlu0014]

OK. Thanks again.