Billboard Texture Toolkit

[[V] IdolNinja]

This toolkit simplifies and automates the process of creating a set of replacement billboards for SRTT.

How to use this billboard texture toolkit


PART 1: INITIAL SETUP

1. Find the following 2 files in the \cache subfolder where you have SRTT installed:

..\Steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\packfiles\pc\cache\sr3_city_0.vpp_pc
..\Steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\packfiles\pc\cache\sr3_city_1.vpp_pc

2. Copy both sr3_city_0.vpp_pc and sr3_city_1.vpp_pc to the following subfolder included with this toolkit:
YOUR_WIP_MOD_RELEASE


3. Download and install the latest version of Gimp; a freeware open source image editor
http://www.gimp.org/downloads/


4. Download and install the Gimp DDS plugin which will allow you to export your PNG image files to DDS
http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/


5. Download and install WTV (Windows Texture Viewer) ; a lightweight freeware dds image viewer that can quickly show you an original texture's dimensions, compression, and mipmap info.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/windows_texture_viewer.html


6. Manually copy a set of the 30 original dds files from the original_textures_dds folder to the work_area_dds folder


***********************************

PART 2: CREATE A SET OF NEW BILLBOARD TEXTURES

1. Browse to the work_area_dds folder and choose a billboard to work on. For example, billboard_3count_a_d.dds


2. Open billboard_3count_a_d.dds in WTV and make note of the compression and dimensions. In this case, it would be DXT1 and 512x256


3. Create a new replacement image with the same dimensions in the graphic editing program of your choice (Gimp, Photoshop, Paintshop, etc) and save it as a png file, and not a jpg or other lossy compression.


4. Open your new png image in Gimp and export it as a dds file, overwriting the existing one in work_area_dds. You export to dds in Gimp by doing the following:
* Click menu choice File and select Export
* Click the +Select File_Type (By Extension) in the bottom left so it expands your choices
* Select DDS image
* Click the Export button at the bottom right
* Select the same compression as the original has, as you noted from opening it in WTV
* Browse to work_area_dds and replace the existing dds with your new version


5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the rest of the dds files. You can also skip ahead to the next section and test your existing edits in-game then come back later and do the rest


***********************************

PART 3: REPACKING AND TESTING

1. Run the following batch file
Pack_and_send_all_work_area_dds_files_to_your_mod_release

NOTE: This will repack each dds file back into the correct cvbm/gvbm container, then move all of them to:
YOUR_WIP_MOD_RELEASE\textures\


2. Run the billboard patch batch file for your WIP Mod Release:
YOUR_WIP_MOD_RELEASE\patch_srtt_billboards.bat

This will build new str2_pc files that include your new billboard artwork, update the asms, and finally output your modded files to
YOUR_WIP_MOD_RELEASE\MY_CUSTOM_BILLBOARDS\


3. Move all the newly created str2_pc and corresponding asm_pc files from MY_CUSTOM_BILLBOARDS to the game folder with the exe; just like any other SRTT mod:
..\Steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\


4. Run the game and confirm your changed billboard


5. Return to PART 2 and create any other replacements if needed

***********************************

PART 4: RELEASE YOUR MOD

1. Delete sr3_city_0.vpp_pc and sr3_city_1.vpp_pc from YOUR_WIP_MOD_RELEASE since these are huge and the install instructions ask users to use their own files

2. Edit the readme file and add in your own credits and other info:
YOUR_WIP_MOD_RELEASE\1-README Install Instructions.txt


***********************************

LIST OF BILLBOARDS AND NOTES

512x256 BILLBOARDS
billboard_3count_a_d - Only 1 at the airport terminal
billboard_3count_b_d
Billboard_8Track_D
billboard_aerialeros_d
billboard_burlesque_d
Billboard_CemShoes_D
billboard_gangspace_d
billboard_gangstergimp_d
billboard_genki_a_d
Billboard_Kitty_D
billboard_mbrawl_b_d
Billboard_NB_1_D - Only 1 at airport terminal
billboard_ps_a_d - Planet Saints - only 1 downtown
billboard_ps_b_d - Planet Saints alt with graffiti same place as a_d
billboard_psgat_a_d
billboard_pspierce_a_d - Only 1 downtown
billboard_pspierce_b_d - Alt pierce with STAG graffiti same place as a_d
billboard_psshaundi_a_d
billboard_psshaundi_b_d - Alt Shaundi with STAG graffiti
Billboard_SaintsFlow_D
billboard_stag_1_d - STAG occuptation only
billboard_stag_2_d - STAG occuptation only
billboard_stag_3_d - STAG occuptation only
billboard_steelport_a_d
billboard_steelport_b_d
billboard_steelport_c_d

512x512 Huge LCD vertical billboards downtown
lcd_large_brands_a
lcd_large_saints_a
lcd_large_syndicate_a

NOTE: Each 512x512 LCD dds is actually a tilesheet comprised of 4 billboards that are individually 128x512. The LCD display cycles through each one and then repeats.

MISC BILLBOARDS
ticker_tile_a_gloscrl - Words that show up on the ticker marquee downtown


***********************************

MISC

In the handy_stuff folder is a batch file that will unpack all cvbm files in whatever folder you put it in. It's pretty handy if you want to quickly extract a set of dds files to examine.

 

[Voltarox]

Outstanding excellent work there IdolNinja !
You are now officially my idol.

This Billboard Texture Toolkit ( BTT ) is what I was hoping for months ago but thought it may be too much to ask for and too complicated for me to figure out how it may function.
This will indeed open the floodgates of artistic creativity for very many people to create billboard textures.
Once again, you have made SteelPort even more beautiful, interesting and fun.

You have my vote for Mayor and no one has done more than you to improve the City of SteelPort.
So if this is your idea of city beautification, then I say that you got some fantastic ideas there bro.

Looking forward to the integration of the interior crib art textures and will not ask you when will it be done.
Good things are worth waiting for and as you said to others when asked that question, "when it's done".

A million thanks to you IdolNinja.

I usually export/convert the .dds files with Gimp to the .tga image format.
Would you say that exporting the .dds files to .png is better than exporting to .tga ?
The .jpeg/.jpg image format is very 'lossy', and sometimes after converting a .tga to .dds results in some color bleeding or color blending into adjacent colors.
I'm going to try converting/exporting the .dds to the .png image format, edit it and then put it back into .dds and see the in game results.
Thanks again there bro.

 

[[V] IdolNinja]

I say try both formats and see what they end up looking like in-game. I'm also very curious to get some feedback on how well the process works and if the instructions are easy to follow.

I do plan on spending some time this weekend integrating other world textures into the toolkit and making it more robust. Personally, my motivation is that I want this one-click solution to use myself. It's a royal pain in the ass to hunt down all the correct str2_pc files each time you want to make minor changes.

 

[Voltarox]

It's a royal pain in the ass to hunt down all the correct str2_pc files each time you want to make minor changes.

I agree, especially for the customize_item.vpp_pc that contains about 1,254 .str2_pc archives.
It would be nice to be able to unpack all of them into a seperate folder and then have all the
.cpeg_pc, .gpeg_pc, .cvbm_pc and .gvbm_pc archives unpacked to .dds with a few clicks.

Your instructions for the BTT ( Billboard Texture Toolkit ) are comprehendible, however in the
'handy stuff' readme;

Throw any cvbm/gvbm files into this folder and run the batch file. It will automagically
extract every single DDS file from every cvbm archive that is here.

In the main folder readme;
In the handy_stuff folder is a batch file that will unpack all cvbm files in whatever folder you put it in.
( I understand that the .bat has to be moved to whatever folder contains the .cvbm and the .gvbm )
it could be misinterpreted by some thinking that folders can be put in there.
or could they still work too ?

Adding the upacking function of .cpeg_pc and .gpeg_pc would be good too.

But still this tool, "as is", is extraordinary and very helpful.

 

[Arglaar]

Outstanding excellent work there IdolNinja !
You are now officially my idol.

This Billboard Texture Toolkit ( BTT ) is what I was hoping for months ago but thought it may be too much to ask for and too complicated for me to figure out how it may function.
This will indeed open the floodgates of artistic creativity for very many people to create billboard textures.
Once again, you have made SteelPort even more beautiful, interesting and fun.

You have my vote for Mayor and no one has done more than you to improve the City of SteelPort.
So if this is your idea of city beautification, then I say that you got some fantastic ideas there bro.

Looking forward to the integration of the interior crib art textures and will not ask you when will it be done.
Good things are worth waiting for and as you said to others when asked that question, "when it's done".

A million thanks to you IdolNinja.

I usually export/convert the .dds files with Gimp to the .tga image format.
Would you say that exporting the .dds files to .png is better than exporting to .tga ?
The .jpeg/.jpg image format is very 'lossy', and sometimes after converting a .tga to .dds results in some color bleeding or color blending into adjacent colors.
I'm going to try converting/exporting the .dds to the .png image format, edit it and then put it back into .dds and see the in game results.
Thanks again there bro.

If I remember correctly, Paint.net http://www.getpaint.net/ will allow you to edit DDS files natively without having to convert back and forth.

 

[nooskid007]

Hi sorry i am new to the forum but ......sorry to disagree gimp is terrible don't ! antiquated i use paint my self .results speak for them selves ... as you can see .. ive posted ... in the great 80 s billboard idol mod

 

[[V] IdolNinja]

Hi sorry i am new to the forum but ......sorry to disagree gimp is terrible don't ! antiquated i use paint my self .results speak for them selves ... as you can see .. ive posted ... in the great 80 s billboard idol mod

I don't like actually working in Gimp, myself. I do all of my image editing in Photoshop and only use Gimp for export since my older version of Photoshop doesn't output dds correctly.

 

[Voltarox]

Same here, I only use Gimp for exporting/converting .dds - .tga files.

I have always exported .dds files to the .tga format, it works with these export settings below.

I attempted to export .dds to the .png format ( shown below ) and got a settings window that I'm not 100% sure of, any advice for these settings would be very much appreciated.

 

[oshii na mikomi]

I love the idea for this tool, but I'm having a little trouble getting it to work.

I've downloaded GIMP along with the DDS plugin. I make the PNGs in Photoshop, using the correct dimensions (so far I've only tried to replace the aerialeros, cemshoes and burlesque boards). Then, I opened the PNGs in GIMP and exported the image as a DDS to the work_area_dds folder, with BC1/DXT1 compression and overwriting the existing file. I've tried it with and without generating mipmaps. As an example, one of the file names is billboard_burlesque.d.tga.DDS. I ran the two batch files and moved all the files to the root folder, but I still don't see any change in the billboards. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?

 

[[V] IdolNinja]

Are you 100% sure that you saved the file in work_area_dds and NOT in the original_textures_dds folder?