[2017] Space Engineers - Skybox with Gimp

Lets create a Space Engineers - Skybox with Gimp.

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Links - Other Guides

Free Software

- Gimp (use google to find it / youtube for gimp-guides if needed)
- DDS-Plugin for GIMP - Link: https://code.google.com/archive/p/gimp-dds/downloads
- Blender (I prefer the steam-version, because it comes with auto-upate)
(We dont use Blender in this guide, look other guide with grafic-check.)

Other Guides

Main-Link: https://forums.keenswh.com/threads/skybox-tutorial-blender-gimp.7032445/
Sub-Link: http://www.blenderguru.com/tutorials/create-a-realistic-earth/#.U-vG7GP5ebg

Mod-Folder structure

Lets create the mod-folder now.

- Press on your keyboard Windowkey + R
- Open path %appdata%
- Goto Space Engineers-Folder
- Goto Mods-Folder

- Create a folder for the mod
- Lets name it: myskyboxmod
(the name of the folder will be the name of the mod ingame and inside of the workshop.)

This folder is our root-folder. Now we need a mod-pic/logo for the workshop.
Into the root-folder we create a pic i.e. with the free program Gimp.

- Lets create: thumb.jpg (size 300*300 pixel with compression ~75-92%)

Now we need some subfolders. Lets create:

- Data (include Environment.sbc) from SE-Datafolder
- Textures -> BackgroundCube -> Final (include BackgroundCube.dds)

Gimp - Settings

Resolution

~ 2048x2048 or more (the current default skybox is 4k) Thats not rly much, if you use ingame a camera with zoom.... you know what i mean here. xD Maybe a dark skybox is here better, too. With alot of light elements it isnt looking good with. Oo

Layers for each side

Info: (not sure about layer-sorting, currently. and it seems that we need to rotate some layers, because the top-side isnt always on top... ksh-style ftw) -.- I will update this guide-section, when I have the right information found out here.... ;) btw same crap with gps-data ingame... -y/+y is right, directly into the layer-center, the others not.... I will say, we fly into the corners of the skybox... (x/z) wtf.... Oo and not into the layers-center, like on the y-sides... Thats why we have dirty-gps-data here....

Sample-Pics:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=949786520
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=949787012

- Create six layers with names: (layer-sorting / rotation info comes soon)

main surface (positive x) (at export visible, the others not)
main surface (negative x)

main surface (positive y)
main surface (negative y)

main surface (positive z)
main surface (negative z)

- Go now into godlike Bob Ross painting_mode... btw watch your layer-edges :-)
(and dont forget, space should look like space... - and less is more...!) cu in space. - jk

DDS-Export Settings

- Export with:

Compression: BC3 / DXT5
Format: Default
Save: As cube map
Mipmaps: Generate mipmaps

- Copy your .dds into the mod-folder.

Last Check & Upload into Workshop

Check the mod

Lets check the mod in local mode first, before we upload it!
After everything works fine:

Upload the mod to Steam Workshop

- Start Space Engineers
- Click Load Game
- Mark a Savegame and Open Settings
- Click Mods

- Search the local-icon of the skybox-modfolder and mark it
- Click Publish
- Place a checkmark in the Skybox category and click ok.

- Write a nice discription and add some nice high-resolution images / videos.

Info: You need to set it public, if you want to use it on a server! (hidden workshop-objects cant be used!)

NOTE: I tend to prefer making changes direclty in the Steam client rather than the in-game pop-up due to some wonkiness of the system...clicking "Browse" when picking images for example is very clunky in-game but perfectly normal directly in the Steam client.