Editing .DDS with paint.net (skybox example)

Simple guide of how to edit .dds files in paint.net

Hopefully people can come up with clever ideas

What you need and finding the files

What you need:

• Rusted Pack File Manager (RPFM)
  
• Paint. net (other editors like photoshop might work)

This guide assumes you know at least a small amount of TW:WH2 modding. RPFM is easy to find and install so i will not be covering that here.

Skybox files:
With RPFM, open data.pack located in Steam\steamapps\common\Total War WARHAMMER II\data

It should look like this:


Head to data/skyboxes/tex to find the .dds files for skyboxes
You can right click and extract these files to any place you choose

Editing with paint. net

Once you have the files extracted, you can open them with paint. net



Depending on the skybox you chose, it should look something like this:



From here on you can explore with the settings, but keep scrolling for some ideas.

Changing hue and saturation:




Adding an image with transparent background as new layer (remember to merge down when done)


Saving. Make sure to save in .DDS with BC7 sRGB DX 11+

Adding to a packfile and other settings

Back to RPFM, create new packfile




Add from packfile, go to data. pack and find the .dds that you edited.





then add file again



and replace it with the .dds you just edited.





You can then save and launch the game with your mod (your mod should be in the data folder of WH2 TW)


Final result (this is a simple and badly done draft for the sake of hopefully inspiring people to do better ones)


Of course you can replace the entire skybox with anything you like.

Some things to keep in mind:

• The skybox connect at the top, so the higher anything is, the more squished it will look near the top
  
• If you are not getting the exact colours you want in-game, it's because the .environment files are also editing the lighting and colours. (see my lighting guide)
  
• The sides of the skybox connect to each other, so they have to blend in together or it will be very obvious in game.

Other things you can do with this

• Edit the .environment files to make the lighting match your skyboxes
  
• Edit the .xml material files to change cloud opacity (found in data. / materials / skyboxes (use RPFM you can edit these in your mod without extracting)
  
• Edit the cloud_01 and cloud_2 .dds files found in the same folder as the skyboxes. These clouds are the ones seem floating around in maps, and can be replaced with anything you want.