ASA Painting Converter (PNT)

ARK Survival Ascended Painting Converter

With this tool, images can easily be converted into ARK-compatible PNT images. Detailed images are no longer a problem thanks to the new color palette of 127 dyes.

---

What features does the converter have?

• Supported image file types include PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP, and TIF
• Multi Canvas Support
• Images are automatically scaled and fitted to the correct size
• The color palette allows for the selection of specific colors to be used
• Selecting the painting target automatically adds the correct file extension
• Colors are better determined using dithering to obtain a more detailed image (Toggleable)
• Existing PNTs can be converted back to PNG
• Automatic scaling and fitting for signs and flags "Fit to UV" (Toggleable, to support RAW Conversion)
• Supports transparent images (Threshold Scalable)

How to convert an image

1. Click on "Open File" or use Drag and Drop or Clipboard to load your desired image into the program.
   
2. Next, choose the intended use of the image by selecting the "Category" first and then your "Painting Target."
   
3. Select your "Target Directory" to quickly get directed to your target folder.
   
4. Optionally, use the color palette to enable or disable colors.
   
5. Click on "Convert to PNT" to save your image.

Great Thanks to Ark Trade Federation for making a video guide on how to convert images!

How does Multicanvas work?

With multicanvas you can create larger images using multiple painting canvas. Just choose Painting canvas as your "Painting Target" and then set your desired size by adjusting columns and rows.
Columns = X
Rows = Y

Your files will automatically be named with the respective X and Y coordinates!

---

Using large sizes will take some time to calculate, so it's best to adjust your colors on a smaller scale beforehand.

Where do I store the PNT files?

The converted PNT files must be stored in the following folder regardless if you play singleplayer or on a server:
...\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\ARK Survival Ascended\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings

It is recommended to assign the "Target Directory" here to prevent unnecessary manual file moving.

Additional Tips

For the best possible result, it is recommended to adjust the size and color of the image beforehand. This step is not mandatory but can enhance the quality of the image additionally.

For this purpose, some helpful files are available for download at the link provided below, such as:
• ACO and ACT files to import the ASA color palette directly into programs like Photoshop
• ASA Color Palette PNG for manually selecting colors using a color picker
• UV templates for all paintable surfaces in 1024x1024 resolution

Downloads

Download ARK Survival Ascended Painting Converter:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AsHOzpbXnOXHi9pNYqQ-3wBAAGqaHQ?e=3jcUPQ

Download Templates:

https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApPQRBcR3TpgluI7MLdtuD2B7_zkBQ?e=hiOWOV


To install the converter, simply extract the "ArkPaintingConverter" folder to wherever you like.
Simply start up the .exe file to open the converter.

Warning

There is currently an error that can cause your game to crash right after joining the world. This has nothing to do with converted images and is something wildcard has to fix. It mostly happens when there are too many paintings on the map.

If this happens don't worry about your savefile being corrupt, as there is a workaround for this:

1. go into this folder
   ...\SavedArksLocal\TheIsland_WP\ServerPaintingsCache\TheIsland_WP
   
2. there you have to delete all the PNT files
   
3. Load into your game, which should work again now. This will cause the deleted PNTs to be restored again and will cause again crashes when rejoining
   
4. Before you quit your working save again, make sure to demolish all paintable objects and delete the restored PNTs again before saving

This workaround will cause your paintings to be gone on that map, but your savegame will work again. Hopefully Wildcard can sort this error out.

Examples

Mod Support

We also support different mods provided by the community.

This is a technical documentation. Ask the mod community which values ​​need to be entered here.

For this you need to create a file CustomPntPaintingConfiguration.json in the same directory as the ConversioIt.Ark.PaintingConverter.exe with a JSON array, in the following format:

[
  {
    "DisplayName": "Mod Support Example: Single flag",
    "Width": 256,
    "Height": 256,
    "VisibleArea": {
      "StartX": 27,
      "StartY": 0,
      "EndX": 227,
      "EndY": 256
    },
    "Id": "Flag_SM_Single_C",
    "Category": 0
  },
  {
    "DisplayName": "Mod Support Exmaple: Painting canvas",
    "Width": 256,
    "Height": 256,
    "Id": "Sign_PaintingCanvas_C",
    "Category": 0
  }
]

Here is a short description of the object properties:

Property	Remarks
DisplayName	Display Name in Painting Target dropdown
Width	Width in px of the Painting Target
Height	Height in px of the Painting Target
Visible Area	Optional Object, which describes the visible area in the UV. Do only set them, if you want to provide a fit to UV option. Property Remarks StartX X Coordiante of the Start StartY Y Coordiante of the Start EndX X Coordiante of the End EndY Y Coordiante of the End
Id	The suffix each pnt file needs, so the game recognise it
Category	The Painting Target category Category Index Category Display Name 0 Structure 1 Creature 2 Human

Note: If you have an invalid configuration, the application shows you an exception window, when it's start. This signals, you have a wrong json configuration with some technically hint, what's wrong. Removing the file, will resolve the issue.

Road Map

Planned Features

• Do not apply Dithering on transparent area
  
• Color palette presets
  
• Special Handling for Wood Billboard (Enabling Fit to UV)
  
• Show how much and which colors are needed for the final PNT

Review / Consideration

• Configuration (community) based approach, for more complex UV's
  
• WebP Support

Changelog

Version 1.0.3

• Configuration saves of output directory and selected colors
  
• Automatic scaling and fitting for signs and flags

Version 1.0.4

• toggleable Dithering and UV fitting
  
• Slider for Alpha/Transparency threshold

Version 1.0.5

• Opening of PNT Files
  
• Drag and Drop for opening File

Version 1.1.0

• Multi Canvas Support (Your most requested feature)
  
• Fit to UV is only toggable, if supported
  
• Added Loading indicator

Version 1.1.1

• Added Color Hex Code and Ark Byte Code to the Color Tooltip
  
• Optimized Line alignment of Multi Canvas labels

Version 1.1.2

• Massive Performance improvements for the Renderer by using multiiple threads to calculate the colors, at the tradeof with higher Memory Consumption. This is a must have for exploratory work, for supporting the planned Feature "Reduce Color", which should be aware of the output. Also Get/SetPixel uses not managed Memory now.
  
• x64 is required now (For Memory)

Version 1.2.0

• Open images by pasting them from clipboard
  
• Color reduction via "Calculate best n Colors". This takes the source image into account, to find the best possible colors for a specific amount of colors
  
• Automatically disables Dithering and "Fit to UV", if a PNT File is opened
  
• Global Exception View for unhandled Exceptions
  
• Version Number in UI

Version 1.2.1

• Added Spotlight and UV for it
  
• Added Mod Support via CustomPntPaintingConfiguration.json

Current known Limitations

• Fit to UV is only supported for UVs which have no different perspectives. This means, that a Mapping for Humans, Creatures and the wood billboard does not exist. See Section "Additional Tips" how to work around this.

Support

We read every comment and try to answer them as best we can. Since we are two different people, it may happen that we have replied to one comment while another temporarily remains unanswered.

Here you see, which expert is required for a specific topic:
Software development / Converter (ARK Ingame unrelated): GGS Syntax
Modding / Templates / Converter (ARK Ingame related): GGS Dubst3pz
Cross-cutting things: Both

[infinite artisan]

is this only on canvas? or it works for flags as well?

[Idunvinge]

I made a picture wall in my house and when I logged back on after dinner, more than half of the pictures are blank. Any ideas why?

[dragonestah]

Hii, I am new to trying to put custom images into an ark game, I seem to be having some trouble with the scaling? When loading in images to put onto a canvas its often not scaling the image down to size, but just cutting the middle 256x256 and only showing that in the preview?

[Fang1174]

Do you know how to make a transparent banner? A base I came across had a transparent "Ark" banner on their tek gateway. I did a google search and couldn't find anything.

[c0mb1ne]

Yeah, they contain few bytes of header info, and everything next to it is pixel information, i made a python script that turn dynamic canvas pnt into png, but i have to declare resolution manually, from ingame tooltip of dynamic canvas

[Nessi]

@c0mb1ne Thats interesting. I tried to check resolution by looking at the file size. All 256x256 textures are 65kb, but when i tried to see whats happening with dynamic canvas i had different file sizes for different canvas sizes.

[c0mb1ne]

I tried to mess up with dynamic canvas, but my best progress is turning pnt to png. I found out that header of dynamic canvas pnt contains always same resolution, seems like maximum possible one. Idk if it helps i can share code if you want.

[Nessi]

So i have been trying to figure out how dynamic paintings work and sadly i just can`t figure out how to get the size of the painting.

Also i'm currently working on getting custom painting to work on the newly added Battlerigs. Well, i managed to get it working, however the vehicles are split in many different parts that can be painted like Hood, Cab, Doors, etc., but the ingame painting seems a bit bugged for vehicles atm, which makes testing very hard.

[Aty]

How to get this program ?

[Watchdog]

For Spotlight, you need general shadow on at least high, which makes it completely pointless in PVP of course, cause none sacrifices all those frames for shadows. Wildcard again, showing how disconnected they are from their customers.