TUTORIAL: Four-Color Patterns In Paint Shop Pro 9~Graphic Intensive!

[Misty_2004]

Credit where credit is due:
Delphy for his Pattern Packager.
HystericalParoxysm for her tutorial for PhotoShop (without which we wouldn't have figured this out).
Syera (many here know her from BogSims Institute), my graphically artistic daughter, who put her head together with mine until we had this thing working (and has been having a blast making patterns while I created this tutorial).
Janette, my literaturely artistic daughter who did all the proof reading and made sure everything I wrote made sense.

This tutorial was created using Paint Shop Pro 9.

My example is going to show the simplest design I could think of doing. It is merely to show how the process of creating a four-color texture in PSP9 works. I am afraid I don't have time right now to explain how to separate the different pieces of the texture for the different colors so hopefully HystericalPoraxysm's Tutorial (http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:Custom_Patterns) can explain that.

I really hope no one minds all the pictures. My mom used to tell me how to do something and then when I had trouble ask, "Do I have to draw you a picture?" Many were the times I wanted to say, "YES! Draw me a picture!" but of course if I had said that I would've been in deep, deep trouble! As such, I've tried to include plenty of pictures for reference.

If you're just getting started there are a few things you'll need.

#1. DDS Support for PhotoShop (yes, it works with PSP but please follow the instructions for installation for PSP9):

Download the plugin from here:
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html

The plugin has a self installer which by default asks where your PhotoShop folder is. Point it to your PSP folder, which typically is at Program File>Jasc Software Inc>Paint Shop Pro 9.

The installer will create a folder within your Paint Shop Pro 9 folder called Plug-ins and install the DDS support files in there. IMPORTANT: You MUST move those files from the newly created folder to the folder named PlugIns within your PSP9 folder. If you don't already have a PlugIns folder in your PSP folder, you can rename the new one. If that folder has the wrong name, PSP can't read the plug-in.

NOTE: If you have PSP running while you install the DDS plugin, just close out of it and restart for it to pick up the DDS plugin.

#2: Delphy's Pattern Packager (http://linna.modthesims.info/download.php?t=342998)

IMPORTANT: YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD .NET FRAMEWORK 3.5 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=333325FD-AE52-4E35-B531-508D977D32A6&displaylang=en) FOR THE PATTERN PACKAGER TO WORK. If you have questions about the pattern packager, please post them in Delphy's Pattern Packager thread, not this one.

Follow the instructions for installing the Pattern Packager; it's easy, just drag and drop the files from the archive into your chosen folder.

------------------------

Keep in mind:

Channels layer in a certain order: Red on the bottom, green next, blue next, and alpha channel on top. If you are creating a design that needs the colors added in a certain order, make sure you are using the correct images for that order.

Okay, time to create your texture!

If you don't already have Paint Shop Pro 9 running, start it.
Next, create a new image, 256x256 pixels.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-01.jpg

Once you have your image created, click the Image tab, then look toward the bottom of the list and select Split Channel>Split to RGB.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-02.jpg

You now have four images as below:

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-03.jpg

For this tutorial I next created a new image, again 256x256 pixels.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-04.jpg

For simplicity's sake, I divided the image into four equal squares and colored each square uniquely. Each one of these colors is going to be an individually recolorable section of the finished texture.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-05.jpg

Next, I take my Magic Wand tool, set the tolerance level to 0 and click to select the upper left-hand square.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-06.jpg
http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-07.jpg

Following that, I press Ctrl>C to copy the selection to my clipboard, then paste it into my red channel (the image named Red2 in the screenshot). Once it's pasted into one of the RGB channels, it automatically takes on a gray color.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-08.jpg

Then I move it to the upper left-hand corner. This will be one single colorable area.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-09.jpg

I repeat the process two more times, working clockwise, selecting one color each time and placing it in its respective corner of the Blue and Green channels. (As I said, this is just a very simple design to show how the process works.)

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-10.jpg

Now that each of the three RGB channels has their assigned color, it's time to put the original image back together. Select the original image you created, then choose Image>Combine Channel>Comb from RGB...

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-11.jpg

...which brings up this little screen, so click OK.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-12.jpg

A brand new image has been created containing the contents of the RGB channels, in this case Image 3.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-13.jpg

Now we're going to create that seemingly elusive Alpha Channel to get a fourth color in this pattern.

First of all, using the Magic Wand tool again, I have selected the very last color in my pattern, the one marked A.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-14.jpg

Then, I copy and paste it into Image 3 and move it to where it belongs, which in this case is the only spot left without a color, the bottom right-hand corner. Pasting it onto the image has created a new Raster layer. You need not worry about the layer as it will be gone soon enough. I grab my Magic Wand again and click on this new layer to select it.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-15.jpg

Next, go to Selections>Load/Save Selection and choose Save Selection to Alpha Channel.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-16.jpg

Then, make sure you still have the alpha selected, and delete that layer. Don't worry, you haven't deleted the Alpha Channel, just the image that marked where that channel belongs.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-17.jpg

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-18.jpg

Save it as a DDS file...

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-19.jpg

...making sure to use the 8.8.8.8 ARGB 32 setting.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-20.jpg

Open the Pattern Packager (if it's the first time you've opened it, make sure to read the licensing agreement and enter your info) and click File>New Pattern. Then click the Browse button and navigate to where you have saved your DDS file and open it. You must enter the Pattern Details, and since this is a four-color pattern, click the circle by the #4. Click on the Palette Boxes below to choose the colors your texture will have by default in the game. Then save it in your Packages folder, or save it somewhere else and move it into your Packages folder. (Remember, if you don't already have the framework for custom content installed, you won't have the proper folder structure for custom content in your Program Files>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3 folder.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-21.jpg

So, how does it look in the game?

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-22.jpg

And with all sections recolored:

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-23.jpg

And just for grins and giggles, here's a shot of it over the top of a wood wall.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Tutorial-Pattern-24.jpg

IMPORTANT NOTE:

It is possible with the textures to add several shades of one color to a channel by using varying shades of gray. So far I haven't been able to get this to work on the Alpha Channel color. If you're creating a texture with multiple shades of one color, then it will currently need to be done on the other channels, saving the Alpha Channel for solid coloring.

[Akati]

Thank you for this tutorial.
I wondered for hours how to create an Alpha Channel.
Than I read your tutorial and now i can have 4 colours in my patterns :up:

[~Dee~]

Wonderful tut Misty, thank you so much. :)

[missi4]

I'm realy thankful for this tutorial!
But I still have a problem. How can I split 4-colorued flower pattern? How is it possible to split/select all these overlapping colors?

[labec]

Thanks bunches for sharing your detailed tutorial ... :) ... much appreciated.

[ikbod]

Thankyou so much for sharing this, really apprecaite all the pictures too as am a bit rusty using psp for anything beyond looking at pics lol

[Sarane]

Thank you so much for explaining the elusive alpha channel!

[Misty_2004]

You're welcome, everyone! I was afraid I'd come here this morning to find a ton of questions because I failed to explain it properly. :lol: I'm so happy to find it's being understood!

But I still have a problem. How can I split 4-colorued flower pattern? How is it possible to split/select all these overlapping colors?
How familiar are you with using the various tools in PSP? For separating colors you're going to need to either have a good knowledge of or learn how to make selections. If parts of the pattern overlap it could be difficult. HP's Tutorial (http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:Custom_Patterns) explains basically how to prepare a pattern. I see many people starting out with relatively simple geometric designs, which I think make excellent starter projects.

[missi4]

Well, my knowledge is not that good...but I really want to try!

Here I have a pattern. Could you explain how I'm able to split it in the RGB channels, please? I don't get it :)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2im6n15.jpg

[Misty_2004]

Okay, Missi, I'm still experimenting a lot with this but I'm going to take your image and give you a step-by-step. That's a great image for starting as it will be super easy! :)

While I'm working on this, why don't you go back and read through the steps one-by-one. The tutorial I posted really doesn't explain how to get your image ready for editing, so much as what to do with it once you have it edited.

[missi4]

Thanks Misty! I'm exciting about reading your step-by-step tutorial soon :)

The other steps I alredy managed successfully, just worked with 2-channel-pattern. It was easy.

[EmpathLunabella]

I am so very in love with you right now! I looked everywhere for a tutorial like this, thank you so very very much, I had a hard time figuring out how to switch from photoshop to psp -shuffle- LOL! it's so funny my practice is a horde symbol! it looks great on the wall not so much on the bed >.< I must fix it!

[coltraz]

Okay, Missi, I'm still experimenting a lot with this but I'm going to take your image and give you a step-by-step.

Does everyone get to see the step-by-step? :)

[red_dragons]

Lol, still trying to get my head around this, but I'll keep at it! Thanks for a great tutorial Misty

[Nan]

Thank you soo much. I can't wait to be back home and try your tut. I would have started it right now (though I'm supposed to work on much more serious subjects), but alas I have only PSP7 here at work, and the plugin doesn't work with this version. (I've tried).

Thank you again...

[ikbod]

Hiya, have had a go and everything is good (I think) untill I load up the pattern in the pattern packager

When I go to save the file as a dds in psp, I get a msg that says "beacuse of the limitations of the file format no alpha channels will be saved. Do you want to continue"

I click yes

Am able to load the pattern in pattern packager but my pattern doesn't look like yours

on my first attempt this is what i got - note alpha isn't selected
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa126/blossums/ptnpkger.jpg

on my second attempt this is what i got - when i try to save ot pops up to tell me i have a missing or invalid field

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa126/blossums/ptnpkger2.jpg


Any help with this would be really appreciated, am guessing that I might be able to do a 3 colour pattern ok or maybe should buy psp9, not sure

Many thanks

edit to add i have psp 8

[missi4]

You have to write something in the "Hompage" field.

[ikbod]

Thanks that made the 3 colour pattern work!

[msarobix]

Thank you so much for posting this tutorial. It was most helpful.

[Misty_2004]

First off, please accept my apologies for disappearing! Yesterday I was going to get that other post made then MTS went down, then a lot of other things happened and I wasn't able to get back to this until just now.

If everything goes according to plan, I'll get Missi's images uploaded. They're very rough, as in I didn't do any real clean-up work, just went through the steps of making her image into a three-color texture.

Ikbod, once I get that finished let's see if we can figure out what's going on with your alpha channel not being saved. First, though, are you using PSP 9 or an earlier version? If you're not around right now that's okay, I can check back.

And to everyone who has posted "thank yous", you're welcome very much! :)

[ikbod]

Thankyou so much misty :) and no worries, real life happens innit! I've got psp 8. If that's the problem i think i could get psp 9 for not too much money :)

[Misty_2004]

Missi picked a great image for a three-color pattern. I wanted to do this as quickly as possible, so the images are a bit messy (for an actual finished pattern, I would definitely make sure to clean up all the dots within the circles before ever starting the copying and pasting process, then do more clean-up as I went along), but this shows how to turn Missi's image into a three-color pattern.

First of all, I open Missi's image and check its size, which is already 256x256. If your image isn't that size when you start or doesn't have a perfectly repeating pattern at this point, I highly recommend fixing it so that it is before you start the seperating process. It's much easier than trying to make things fit once the image is completed. Also, if your image has to be resized after it's completed, you're going to end up with a lot of messy pixels because of the conversion while resizing, making it necessary to do a huge amount of the work you already did all over again.

After I check the size, I create a new 256x256 image.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-01.jpg

The next thing I do is seperate the RGB channels from the new image I just created (see first post if you're unsure of the seperation process).

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-02.jpg

Then I line them all up in order (Red, Green, Blue) because I want to make sure I remember that red goes on the bottom, green in the middle, and blue on top. Then I look at Missi's image and decide how many copies of it I'm going to need to make this texture with the least amount of work possible. Already, I see something that will be much faster than a lot of selecting and copying, so I decide I only need one additional copy and create that (select that image, press Ctrl-C to copy it, then press Ctrl-V to paste it in as a new image).

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-03.jpg

I'm going to make the white section of the original pattern the background, and I want to include the white dots bordering the circles. Since this is a .jpg image that has some compression, I set my tolerance for selecting to a bit above 30. This will result in selecting nearly 100% of the outlying white area. Then, I select the white area with my Magic Wand (a few artifacts are left unselected so I add those to my selection one at a time), then I turn off Contiguous in my toolbar (up top) and start shift-selecting the white areas in the circles (holding the shift key while selecting adds to my current selection). The reason I deselect Contiguous is to save myself a ton of time while selecting those white dots within the circles. Every time I click on one particular color, every other pixel in the image that is the same color will also be selected.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-04.jpg

I then copy and paste the selected white area to the Red channel image.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-05.jpg

My next job is to create the channels with the circles so I need to get rid of the blue circles from one of these images and the red dots from the other. Working with one color on a solid white background is going to be easier than trying to select each of the red dots from the first image, so I grab a round paintbrush and start painting over the blue dots with my white paintbrush. (There are several ways to get rid of those blue dots, and some might be a bit faster but this was the fastest method my sleep-deprived brain could think of.) Since the dots aren't exactly round, I end up hitting each one a couple of times with my brush to make them gone and all the while I'm keeping my eye open for artifacts that I can easily cover up with white which will make the later selection process go more quickly.

Once I have the blue dots gone, I use the Magic Wand again and select the white background, then invert my selection. I also Ctrl-Click all the white areas within the red circles so that they are no longer selected. (Shift-Click adds to a selection, Ctrl-Click takes away from a selection).

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-06.jpg
http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-07.jpg

Now I use Ctrl>C to copy the selection, then choose the Green channel, and press Ctrl-L to paste the portion of the image I just selected into the Green Channel.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-08.jpg

Then I go to what is called Image 3 (the copy of Missi's original image) and repeat what I did for the red, this time instead of painting over the blue circles, painting over the red ones. I follow the same steps for selecting, inverting the selection, then copying and pasting this into the Blue Channel.

And here are all three channels with their respective sections of the pattern:

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-09.jpg

Next, it's just a matter of combining the channel.

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-10.jpg

And here is the end result of what the new image made by combining the channels looks like:

http://bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern/Missi-Pattern-11.jpg

Then, save it as a DDS file, and import it into Delphy's Pattern Packager.

[Misty_2004]

Okay, now that I have that done, I'll go back and try to address some individual comments and questions.

@ Coltraz: Indeed!

I ended up skipping straight from PSP7 to PSP9 a couple of years ago, so I don't have any experience with eight. I do, however, have PSP7 installed on another computer so I have my daughter getting the plugin so we can see what happens with it in PSP7.

ETA: I just messed around with it in PSP7, and it is definitely not wanting to save the image with the alpha channel. I can't understand why PSP7 allows the creation of alpha channels if it doesn't allow them to be saved. What anyone using previous versions might want to do is see if per chance there is a plugin out there for earlier versions that will allow it, buy a later version of PSP if one can be found for a good price, try GIMP or stick with three-color patterns. I wish I had a better solution.

[feefa]

It is possible with the textures to add several shades of one color to a channel by using varying shades of gray. So far I haven't been able to get this to work on the Alpha Channel color. If you're creating a texture with multiple shades of one color, then it will currently need to be done on the other channels, saving the Alpha Channel for solid coloring.

Have you tried creating a mask from the fourth colour and saving the mask to the alpha channel rather than creating the alpha channel from a selection. I wanted to try it myself but I have PSP8 and am having the same problem as Ikbod saving an images with an alpha channel.

[Misty_2004]

Feefa, right now I'm working on a four-color pattern to get ready to do that. And ironically enough, just as I was typing this my daughter came in and said, "Hey! I think you can fix that by saving it as a mask instead of a selection!" :lol:

So, as soon as we get this part worked out I'll post back with the results. :)

ETA: I don't think she was trying to accomplish the same thing with the mask as was my objective. Now I have to find out what it was she was talking about with the mask.

It's all good, though. I actually made my very first good four-color pattern. :)

[feefa]

I have managed to create a four channel image in PSP 8 and get it into the correct DDS format for Sims 3.

*edit* See post #33 for an updated version of these instructions that do not require the DDS plug-in

Here's what I did:

- Install the NVIDIA Legacy DDS Utilities from http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities_legacy.html
- Follow Misty's tutorial up to the point where you have filled in the NVIDIA options screen.
- Click "Set Profile Directory" and select the folder containing your image.
- Click "Save Profile" and name the profile "sims3.dpf".
- Click "Cancel".
- Save the image as a 24bit, uncompressed .TGA file.
- Open a command prompt and navigate to the folder containing your image.
- Type the following command:
- nvdxt -file *.tga -profile sims3.dpf
- Resume Misty's tutorial

Once you have done this once all you need to do for subsequent images is save them as 24bit, uncompressed .TGA files and issue the command again. You can replace "*.tga" with the name of your image to avoid converting every image in the folder every time nvdxt is run.

[Misty_2004]

Yay, Feefa! Yesterday my brain was going in so many ways, and I was going to try the Legacy DDS plugin for PSP7 after the other one didn't work and then I really don't know what happened because I completely forgot to do that. Even so, I would never have known to do all of the other things you did to save it.

[feefa]

Yay, Feefa! Yesterday my brain was going in so many ways, and I was going to try the Legacy DDS plugin for PSP7 after the other one didn't work and then I really don't know what happened because I completely forgot to do that. Even so, I would never have known to do all of the other things you did to save it.

I'm too stubborn to give up until I've solved the problem and too mean to upgrade PSP. :)

[Misty_2004]

:lol: I know that feeling! I don't upgrade things when the one I have works perfectly fine. I did upgrade to PSP9 a couple of years ago, after it had gone down in price, because its features work better for a lot of things I do. Even so, PSP7 is a very worthy graphics program as I'm sure PSP8 is.

I've been seriously considering upgrading my video card but can't spend a ton of money to do it so I was cruising NewEgg today and found one that will run circles around the one I have for only $50. We built this computer four years ago and this will be its first upgrade. There are just too many more important things to do with money than be all the time spending it software and computer upgrades.

[missi4]

Thank you very much Misty for this well-explained tutorial! Now I'm understanding all :) working with pattern just now!

[Misty_2004]

You're very welcome, Missi! :)

[red_dragons]

I am really frusterated because i can make patterns in psp 9 now but it wont save as dds. I keep getting error saying 'plugin caused access violation' and i have searched the web but cannot seem to find much info on it..........Grrrrrr lol

I have gimp installed and i can open dds files in that, but i dont like gimps UI as i'm used to psp's. Gimp is well - just awkward!

P.s I also get the error when trying to open dds files with psp9

[feefa]

red_dragons : You should be able to use the PSP 8 method to create a DDS file without using the plug-in.

- Install the NVIDIA Legacy DDS Utilities from http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities_legacy.html
- Download the .ZIP archive attached to this message and extract the file in it into the same folder as your image
- Follow Misty's tutorial up to the point just before you save the DDS file.
- Save the image as a 24bit, uncompressed .TGA file or a Photoshop .PSD file.
- Open a command prompt and navigate to the folder containing your image.
- Type the following command replacing {your_filename} with whatever you named the file:
- nvdxt -file {your_filename} -profile sims3.dpf
- Resume Misty's tutorial

[Misty_2004]

Red_Dragons, which version of the DDS plug-in are you using? I've managed to create myself quite a few errors but haven't seen that one.

I'm fairly certain if you're using PSP 9 you need the later version of the DDS plug-in, not the Legacy version. I have only tried the later version in PSP 9 and it worked so I didn't try the Legacy version.

[Von40mouse]

Yay! I can't wait to try this! I posted a question in Delphy's thread about using PSP because I couldn't figure it out. Thank you so much!

[1pinkmonkey]

omg soooo frustraited i seprate it but mine seprates under color not image cuz i have 7 not 9 so i go to combine back 2 gather and it says they all need to be the smae width and height but they are any suggestions am i doing it wrong or something i have gimp as well but cant figure out how to do this with gimp

[Nan]

Thank you soo much for this tut, Misty. Thanks to you I've been able to upload my very first (decent) pattern (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=355461).

I can't thank you enough for your explanations, especially with the dds plugin for PSP.

[John1946]

ok, I am trying to use paint shop pro X2 and of course there is no dds save, is there a dds plugin that will work for me, BTW, the tutorial is great, made it all the way to the save dds, and got stop.

[Misty_2004]

I'm sorry for late responses, everyone, but when I remember to check this thread daily there are no posts, then I forget to check for a few days and low and behold, the proverbial pot boiled over! :lol:

@ 1pinkmonkey: I haven't been able to work through this process in PSP 7 and make it work as well as it does in PSP 9 so I gave up on that. I'm not saying that it won't work, just that I don't know how to do it. It took all I could muster just to be able to learn this in PSP 9 and get it all put into a reasonably understandable tutorial. I believe that in HP's tutorial (http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:Custom_Patterns), she goes into some good detail on how to do this in GIMP so you may want to read that. I see she is re-writing the tutorial and I didn't take the time to read through what she has but it would be worth checking. :)

@ Nan: You are very welcome. I love the pattern you submitted, too! :)

@ John1946: Did you try the NVidia's DDS plug-ins from the site in the first post? There are two versions and I would assume the later one (not the Legacy version) would work with your version of PSP but I could be wrong. These plug-ins are only backward compatible so far, but they should be completely forward compatible. :)

[stregha]

thank you for this tutorial, when i first started messing with patterns, i completely looked this tute over, i thought it mightve been to difficult for me as a beginner, i used a bunch of other ones, now that i am knowledgeable on patterns somewhat, i found it irritating that i couldn't get certain parts of my patterns to look the way i wanted, this tute fixed that..so thanks!!! :D :D

[sehana]

Thank you so much for this!! The pictures are excellent!!

I have PSP as Photoshop is really expensive for non-professional work. I have PSP 11, it should still work though right? will the DDS plugin work in PSP11?

[XTS]

Thank you sooo much! Now I'm not saying it worked (not that it'd be you) but it saved okay. I just haven't tested it yet. Going to try one a bit more complicated then test both. It'll give me more practice with the tutorial :)

You write excellent tutorials and thank you for the pics! lol I'm very experienced with psp 9 but not so much with the channels, just layers & editing pics, etc.

The way I made the 4 sections was to create one more new image but that one was at 128 x128. It fit perfectly in corners :D I'd copy the square from that to the bigger one, changing colors as I went until I had 4 unique colored squares. I couldn't figure out how you made the squares so perfect in there even with my ruler turned on. lol

Thanks again!!

xts*

EDIT: They both worked great!! But only one *looked* great and that's the square one. lol. The strange pattern I tried works with "some" things but it's ideal to be centered but doesn't center on beds. Hey, thanks much!!

(ALL THE TIPS IN THE THREAD HELPED ME, THANKS EVERYONE!!) :up:
My new pattern thanks to you guys!!
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a299/xts/Sims%203/Screenshot-599.jpg
If you want it, it's at TheSims3 under Xts2009. :) http://www.thesims3.com/mypage/XTS2009 Thanks so much for all your help!! :up:

[Jaellra]

Awesome tut. Can't wait to get home and try it! Thank you.

[Hawkster]

Hi feefa,

Thanks to you and misty.
Quick question.
When I open command prompt etc, I get error message:

'nvdxt' is not recognised as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

What am I doing wrong?

[Misty_2004]

Hawkster, my memory is so bad I find myself referring back to my own tutorials at times just to do things right. :P

Which version of PSP are you using? Did you make sure to download the correct version of the plug-in for your PSP? I think I remember running into that error when trying to use the wrong version.

I have a more expanded version of this tutorial on our website here (http://www.bogsims.com/sims3/tutorials/pattern-tut-101-intro.htm). I really need to somehow post that updated version here and get rid of this one. Too much to do and too little time to get it all covered but I am currently in catch-up mode so I just might get it done before much longer.

[Hawkster]

Hi Misty, Using PSP 8 - I have the Legacy plug-in (v3.02) it's the same one I get using the link feefa gave on this thread, but it does look different to your screen shot. (It only gives the option DDS.dds in the PSP drop down box whilst yours says D3D.dss I think.) Saving directly from PSP is ok if I only have RGB (using your tut, so thanks again) and save option Interpolated Alpha (DXT5), but wants to merge file if I try to add the Alpha channel.

Using feefa's amendment, similarly PSP8 wants to merge file if I try to save ARGB as a .tga, although it works as a .psd, but that command prompt doesn't seem to want to know. (Vista 64bit, not that I think it makes a difference?)
For patterns, RGB is not so bad - for clothing styles, there's just not a hope in hell - it sends the mannequin white!

Should I download the adobe .dds plug-in instead? And try it as though it's PSP 9?
Happy (Forth Bridge) catching up, btw!

[Inge Jones]

PSP9, using latest plugin, no matter what I call the PlugIns folder or how I set up the plugins options, it completely refuses to acknowledge I have DDS plugins.

PSP7, using legacy plugins, does see them and offer DDS as a Save to... option. But it says "due to format of specified file, no alpha channels will be saved" and the program just closes.

Does anyone else have this problem?

[discord]

Ok so this is a awsome tut I have managed to do things I have never ben able to do before and it even helped me understand paintshop pro 9 a whole lot more.



But, Im kinda having a problem and I can't find help for it. I am trying to edit a patern that I want some of the picture to be unchanged and others to be changable.

For Example
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s89/Discord_2007/test/12ooy075bd.jpg



I would like to be able to change the outfit' s and the background but leave the rest alone

Is there a way of doing this?
:blink: :help:

[jx305]

Does anyone know how to get Paint Shop Pro 10 to recognise the file type? I downloaded and installed the relevant NVIDIA files, the installer placed them in programs/coral/Paint Shop Pro 10/plug ins but nothing is happening in the program, the file type is missing even after restarting the program and computer. I can do the rest of the tutorial, channel separation, alpha channel etc.. just when it comes to 'save as' there is no dds file type in the drop down box =[

[jx305]

Ok just found the answer which may or may not apply to many users having problems with it.. and the answer is simple, for my problem..
goto FILE > PREFERENCES > FILE LOCATIONS
in the FILE TYPES BOX find and higlight PLUG-INS
on the right you will see the location settings for plugins, use the '...' box to point to the differently spelled 'Plug-Ins' folder (one thing or another labels it as one word 'plugins') but if your folder is spelled 'Plug-Ins' this is how it should appear in the file locations pointer =]
Tick all boxes and click 'OK' job done, restart PSP and it should now appear in EFFECTS > Plug-ins and the save as menu =]

[jx305]

Thank you MISTY for a great tutorial. PSP is underestimated in its power, yeah sure photoshop has all the 'just do it' buttons but PSP allows you the hands on way of dealing with things and in many cases can do the same if not more than photoshop =] :Pint:

[StaticDrifter]

I have just read this and I would love to give it a go, however, I have PSP Photo X2 which is no longer a JASC product, it is instead now owned by Corel. I believe it is essentially to be PSP 12. The dds format is not in the file type listings with either of the Nvidia plugins, current or legacy. Is there any other option for creating a file of this type that anyone is aware of. Adobe is way too expensive to be changing graphic programs if there are any other options.

[imrielle2]

The dds format is not in the file type listings with either of the Nvidia plugins, current or legacy. Is there any other option for creating a file of this type that anyone is aware of.

This is a little bit of a late post, however, it might still be useful, so here:

The DDS plugins found at this link:
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.html
works with PSP Photo X2.

The simplest way to get them to work is to install them in your My Documents folder. Go to your documents, open the folder called "My PSP Files" and make a new folder called "Plugins". Install the DDS filter to this folder. You'll end up with something that should look like this (minus the Alien Skin folder):
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h24/imrielle/pspdds1.png
Please note: You can put the plugin folder anywhere, I use the "My PSP Files" to keep things organized. The folder can also be named anything.

Now, open PSP Photo X2. Click "File" up in the left hand corner, and go down to "Preferences" and select "File Locations". In the window that pops up, select "Plugins" from the left hand pane, and click the "Add" button. Browse the the plugins folder that you just made and unpacked the DDS plugin into, and click "Ok".

You should end up with something similar to this:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h24/imrielle/pspdds2.png

Click ok, then close and restart PSP (this may not be necessary, but I do it anyway :p). You can now save and open DDS files. You can also save, open and edit normal maps with this plugin.

To be completely clear - I am currently using Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, with the above linked DDS plugin released by nVidia. It works perfectly, without issue, with PSP Photo X2.

[SenPain]

Thank you for drawing me a picture!!! I couldn't have done it without all the images.

[your_juliet]

Just a quick question --

I've followed all of your steps, and made sure all images are 256x256, but when I go to combine the channels, they do not correctly overlap. I've tried everything I can think of, but the image on the red channel won't match up correctly with the green and blue channels. Any insight is much appreciated!