Skybox's Custom Sky Textures

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-tWo-

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Additional Info

Genre
Mapping
Difficulty Level
Intermediate

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Post Count
24
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17,470
Date Added
4 years ago
Date Modified
6 months ago

Welcome, in this tutorial i'm going to tell you how to make use of custom skybox textures.

Needed Software:

Hammer Photoshop(vtf Plugin) or VtfEdit Pakrat Notepad

So, lets get started:

1.Download the skybox texture you would like to use. It should come as a .rar file. Open it.

2.Inside the .rar, there should be 12 main files (6.vtf's & 6.vmt's) or 6 image files (.tga's,.jpg's...).

Note: If there are vtf's and vmt's jump to step 7.

3.Open the image files on photoshop, or import them into VtfEdit. And save each one of them as Vtf's, with no specific properties.

4.Now, open the notepad and type in the following code:

Code"UnlitGeneric" { "$basetexture" "skybox/******" "$nofog" "1" "$ignorez" "1" }

5.Now, the '******' is to be replaced with the name of the vtf it will be linked to. If the vtf is 'ubersky_bk', that's what you should type there.

6.Repeat the above step for every vtf you have.

7.Select all the vtf's and vmt's, and drag them to this folder: 'C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps*****\counter-strike source\cstrike\materials\skybox' If you don't have such a folder, create it.

8.Once you have that done, launch hammer and open the texture browser, you should see your textures listed there (filter the names). If you see pink/black squares, you did something wrong with the .vmt, repeat those steps.

9.Now, once you've seen everything is well, go to Map>Map Properties>SkyBox Texture Name, and fill in the name of your skybox. If your files are named "uberskybk, uberskyft, uberskyrt..." you should fill in 'ubersky' and not 'ubersky'.

10.After doing that, compile your map, and open pakrat. Load your map (this is going to let other people see your sky like you).

11.With your map opened, click Add, and navigate to: 'C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps*****\counter-strike source\cstrike\materials\skybox' Select all the skybox files, and press Open. A message should appear, click Yes to All. You should have your files set to the folder 'materials/skybox', if not, edit to make it so.

12.Finally, Go to File>Save, and save the map.

You're done. Your sky is now customized at your likings.

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  • Taixumind

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    Taixumind

    Nice man! this tutorial helps me a lot!!

    A.D.I.D.A.S.

  • N1GHTM@R3

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    N1GHTM@R3

    I kno an easier way :D. but good tutorial helps ppl install all the fancy skyboxes that are here.

    Same Day Different Shit.

  • Omegavox

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    Omegavox
    Posted by Jonasosc Frustration. HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! ive tryed everything imageble, but nothing works. i tryed your way. i made 6vtf from photoshop 1024x512 each. made the vmt code like you said. Thay all show up in texture browser. Thay all have the name sky_not2 with one of these in the end (bk, ft, rt, lf, up, dn) didnt work. So i made them all 512x512 (didnt work) So i tryed an other vmt code from http://developer.valvesoftware.com "sky" { "$hdrcompressedTexture" "skybox/filename" "$nofog" "1" "$ignorez" "1" "$basetexture" "skybox/filename" } Didnt work. Thay work as textures but not as a sky box, in Map Properties > SkyBox Texture Name i`ve typed "sky_not2" but all this does is creating a huge leak in the skybox. according to the map the textures are not there HELP ME PLEASE!!! i check the vmt 100times nothing wrong there.

    The same thing happened to me, Works as a texture but not as a skybox. The skybox is physically there just not visually. You must have a step missing.

    And you have completely ignored this guys question. Please help us and your tut will be fine ^^

    Stuff you I'm from NZ

  • -tWo-

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    -tWo-

    Just save the skybox textures you've already made as vtfs, and made the vmts just like this tut shows. Start in step 3 since you've already got the images.

    Applenite

  • Rusty9k

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    Rusty9k
    Posted by -tWo-
    Posted by Rusty9k Am I missing something or does this tutorial not show you how to actually make the textures? Is this just for installing them or something? I really would like to know how to make my OWN skybox textures if anybody knows of a tutorial I would be grateful if they shared. Thanks!
    That's exactly why this is in the "Mapping" section. If you want to create your own textures, download terragen, it's a program built for that. Search google for tutorials.

    Thanks for your reply, I had a look at terragen.

    Ill be more specific, I have alot of planetscapes I have made in photoshop, and I want to convert them so I can use them as a skybox for my maps.

    Its not really "making" the skyboxes that is a problem, I just want to make something in photoshop and then use it as a skybox, I dont know how to go about taking the stuff that I already have and making it work as a skybox.

    I have tried google, but havent had any luck, all I am able to find is this tutorial.

    If you know anything about what I'm trying to accomplish could you let me know?

    Thanks! :)

  • -tWo-

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    -tWo-
    Posted by Rusty9k Am I missing something or does this tutorial not show you how to actually make the textures? Is this just for installing them or something? I really would like to know how to make my OWN skybox textures if anybody knows of a tutorial I would be grateful if they shared. Thanks!

    That's exactly why this is in the "Mapping" section.

    If you want to create your own textures, download terragen, it's a program built for that. Search google for tutorials.

    Applenite

  • Rusty9k

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    Rusty9k

    Am I missing something or does this tutorial not show you how to actually make the textures? Is this just for installing them or something?

    I really would like to know how to make my OWN skybox textures if anybody knows of a tutorial I would be grateful if they shared.

    Thanks!

  • Jonasosc

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    Jonasosc

    Frustration. HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! ive tryed everything imageble, but nothing works. i tryed your way. i made 6vtf from photoshop 1024x512 each. made the vmt code like you said. Thay all show up in texture browser. Thay all have the name sky_not2 with one of these in the end (bk, ft, rt, lf, up, dn) didnt work. So i made them all 512x512 (didnt work) So i tryed an other vmt code from http://developer.valvesoftware.com "sky"

    {

    "$hdrcompressedTexture" "skybox/filename"   
"$nofog" "1"
"$ignorez" "1"
"$basetexture" "skybox/filename"

    }

    Didnt work. Thay work as textures but not as a sky box, in Map Properties > SkyBox Texture Name i`ve typed "sky_not2" but all this does is creating a huge leak in the skybox. according to the map the textures are not there

    HELP ME PLEASE!!! i check the vmt 100times nothing wrong there.

    Bananite

  • Hoops

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    Hoops
    Posted by Ryan My skybox for the texture is called South Park Sky and in the skybox folder i have vtf. and vmf. and i did what u said in step 9 but i dont no if i am post to say the hole name South Park Sky. Plz i need help with this. and where do i put the notepad at what do i save it as

    The notepad, i think, is used if u dont have .vmf/.vtf files.

    Is your skyname Southparksky_** or South park sky **? there must be underscores right? so when Hammer is opened, select map/map properties.. then under "Skybox texture name", enter South_park_sky_ textually. u should be fine :)

    the yellow avenger!!

  • Ryan

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    Ryan

    You just lost me on step 9.

    My skybox for the texture is called South Park Sky

    and in the skybox folder i have vtf. and vmf. and i did what u said in step 9 but i dont no if i am post to say the hole name South Park Sky. Plz i need help with this.

    and where do i put the notepad at what do i save it as

    Bananite
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