First Time making a character help with white boxes around character

[naomi]

So this is my 1st time trying to make a character I followed a tutorial I found online for making a player and I'd like some help as to why there are white squares around my player and how I can fix this. You will have to dumb it done for me since I am new to this whole thing. All help would be much appreciated please I did look online for a fix and I couldn't find anything that helped me.

[Quiet]

You created your character either without using a transparent background or with a program that does not support transparent backgrounds.  You will have to re-do the art with another program like GIMP.

[naomi]

I created it using photoshop since I find it to be a lot better then Gimp and Gimp was giving me a lot of problems. I'm also relearning photoshop since it's been years since I used it. So I have to have a transparent background for the template is what you are saying? Thank you btw for helping.

You created your character either without using a transparent background or with a program that does not support transparent backgrounds.  You will have to re-do the art with another program like GIMP.

 

[naomi]

I think I figured out my problem. I ended up saving it as a jpeg instead of a png.

You created your character either without using a transparent background or with a program that does not support transparent backgrounds.  You will have to re-do the art with another program like GIMP.

 

[naomi]

Having another problem when trying to use the build renamer it's telling me that the first 4 bytes do not match the "BILD"  can anyone help with this? I didn't get this error before and please be patient with me as I have mentioned I am new at this.

[naomi]

Having another problem when trying to use the build renamer it's telling me that the first 4 bytes do not match the "BILD"  can anyone help with this? I didn't get this error before and please be patient with me as I have mentioned I am new at this.

I'm an idiot I've been up all night working on this and mixed up the folders I found a solution to my bild problem. I however do have another problem my players back is invisible and sometimes the sides too and shes got some hair floating off to the side any fixes?

[XopherPM]

I'm assuming you're working with the atlas.png and converting it to a tex file. It looks like you may have missed one or two of the torso images, and/or things just aren't lined up perfectly. If you can post the atlas you are using someone might be able to point out the specific problem(s), but working with the atlas really is alot of trial and error.

 

Since you're so far along you may just want to stick with it and keep trying to nudge things into the proper place, but I strongly suggest using the spriter build, outlined in this tutorial :http://forums.kleientertainment.com/topic/37002-easy-character-art-tutorial/

It will be a bit more of a learning curve, but it really makes fixing things like the problems you posted so much easier that I think it's worth the time.

[naomi]

This is the template I made or the "atlas" before it's converted. At first I did convert it to a DXT5 then after some research online to see why it was invisible and not getting any answers  I then converted it to a ARGB. Btw I have no idea what any of that means. Thank you for helping btw and I'll try your suggestion right now. I just tried to upload the atlas and it's told me I'm not permitted to upload this kind of file.

I'm assuming you're working with the atlas.png and converting it to a tex file. It looks like you may have missed one or two of the torso images, and/or things just aren't lined up perfectly. If you can post the atlas you are using someone might be able to point out the specific problem(s), but working with the atlas really is alot of trial and error.

 

Since you're so far along you may just want to stick with it and keep trying to nudge things into the proper place, but I strongly suggest using the spriter build, outlined in this tutorial :http://forums.kleientertainment.com/topic/37002-easy-character-art-tutorial/

It will be a bit more of a learning curve, but it really makes fixing things like the problems you posted so much easier that I think it's worth the time.

 

[XopherPM]

The png is all I meant, not the tex, so that works. Sorry, I should have specified.

I think this is the original template from that guide:

It looks like you're missing the torso's I circled in red, and the side head I circled in green (which isn't obvious because the game still uses the 'cut' side head that is in your atlas.) Is it possible you drew those on another layer and left them hidden when you saved the png? I only say that because it's something I would do (may-have-done,) and you did say you're re-learning photoshop.

 

My best guess for the floating hair bits is that the bottom of the back view (the green squiggles) is overlapping onto the pigtails. But I'm not 100% positive on that.

 

Unfortunately using the old atlas-png-to-tex method means you really have to stay inside the boxes on the template. It's definitely do-able (that's how I made my first character,) but using the spriter files gives you a bit more freedom.

 

I like the way she's looking, especially her hair! But she will be a bit jaggy. I think the best way to avoid that is to do the work in Photoshop (or whatever) at double size at least, and then shrink the image back down when you save the png.

 

I hope that critique wasn't overstepping. She looks fine, and to fix that now would mean having to redraw the outlines at least, so it might not be worth it.

[naomi]

Yes after comparing the templates I also noticed that I had some parts missing and I think I did hide it and forgot all about it. You are most def not overstepping at all  I appreciate the help a lot. I don't mind redrawing I'm going to have to anyways since the side of the face is messed up and the nose its all busted up when she turns sideways I should have just cut the face in half and used that for the side instead of trying to recreate a side view of it. I'll upload the finished copy once I'm done later so that you can see that your help paid off.  Thank you so much for the help very helpful and very detailed about it.

The png is all I meant, not the tex, so that works. Sorry, I should have specified.

I think this is the original template from that guide:

templatescribbles.png

It looks like you're missing the torso's I circled in red, and the side head I circled in green (which isn't obvious because the game still uses the 'cut' side head that is in your atlas.) Is it possible you drew those on another layer and left them hidden when you saved the png? I only say that because it's something I would do (may-have-done,) and you did say you're re-learning photoshop.

 

My best guess for the floating hair bits is that the bottom of the back view (the green squiggles) is overlapping onto the pigtails. But I'm not 100% positive on that.

 

Unfortunately using the old atlas-png-to-tex method means you really have to stay inside the boxes on the template. It's definitely do-able (that's how I made my first character,) but using the spriter files gives you a bit more freedom.

 

I like the way she's looking, especially her hair! But she will be a bit jaggy. I think the best way to avoid that is to do the work in Photoshop (or whatever) at double size at least, and then shrink the image back down when you save the png.

 

I hope that critique wasn't overstepping. She looks fine, and to fix that now would mean having to redraw the outlines at least, so it might not be worth it.

 

[naomi]

Well here she is. You were right about the hair getting into the pigtails and got everything lined up right.  I plan to make another at some point make it better and a little different but for now I'm very happy I was able to get it done and with your help so thank you a lot. The only thing I didn't understand about the tutorial  I followed was doing the special item at the start of the game. I want mine to start with a backpack and some books since she is a student would you happen to know how or point me to a tutorial for someone like me to understand? It not it's cool and I can just make a new post. I wish there was one I could find out there to explain it. I see all these mods with cool items some even made by the players but  I don't even know where to begin. Thanks again for the help the hair sitcking up was driving me nuts. I think for my second time around trying this I'm going to try a ponytail.

The png is all I meant, not the tex, so that works. Sorry, I should have specified.

I think this is the original template from that guide:

templatescribbles.png

It looks like you're missing the torso's I circled in red, and the side head I circled in green (which isn't obvious because the game still uses the 'cut' side head that is in your atlas.) Is it possible you drew those on another layer and left them hidden when you saved the png? I only say that because it's something I would do (may-have-done,) and you did say you're re-learning photoshop.

 

My best guess for the floating hair bits is that the bottom of the back view (the green squiggles) is overlapping onto the pigtails. But I'm not 100% positive on that.

 

Unfortunately using the old atlas-png-to-tex method means you really have to stay inside the boxes on the template. It's definitely do-able (that's how I made my first character,) but using the spriter files gives you a bit more freedom.

 

I like the way she's looking, especially her hair! But she will be a bit jaggy. I think the best way to avoid that is to do the work in Photoshop (or whatever) at double size at least, and then shrink the image back down when you save the png.

 

I hope that critique wasn't overstepping. She looks fine, and to fix that now would mean having to redraw the outlines at least, so it might not be worth it.

 

[XopherPM]

She's looking good! I'm glad you were able to figure out the art work.

 

It sounds like you're getting into the code more. There are several tutorials on this forum, but the best advice I can give is to not be afraid of looking at other mods and code in the base game to see how things are done.

 

Starting with items already in the game is pretty easy. At the end of your character's prefab file will be the line:

return MakePlayerCharacter("<your character's name>", prefabs, assets, fn)

If you include a table after 'fn' then that will be your character's starting items. So if you add:

return MakePlayerCharacter("<your character's name>", prefabs, assets, fn, {"backpack"})

Then she'll start with a backpack, although due to the way backpacks work it will be on the ground. There's probably a way to start with it equipped, but I don't know off the top of my head. I'd be willing to bet if you look around at other mods you could find one that does something similar.

 

To get a bit more complicated it would be easier (and this is how most mods I've seen do it) to make a local table of what you want to start with and then refer to that. So in her prefab file, before "local fn = function(inst)..." you can include:

local start_inv ={   "backpack",   "prefab1",   "prefab2",   "prefab3"}

and then at the bottom:

return MakePlayerCharacter("<your character's name>", prefabs, assets, fn, start_inv)

Of course "prefab1", etc are just examples, you need to use the exact name of the prefab. For the books specifically you can look at Wickerbottom's code to figure out what you want to use. I should note that Wickerbottom also has the ability to craft books, so that might be something to think about.

 

Making a custom item is of course much more work. I think the tutorial you're using goes in to that, but you can also check out these:

http://forums.kleientertainment.com/files/file/202-sample-mods/

http://forums.kleientertainment.com/files/file/367-spriter-example-equippable-item/

http://forums.kleientertainment.com/topic/29427-tutorial-creating-a-handslot-equippable-item-from-scratch/

 

[naomi]

Omg thank you so much for the help. It works and I'll def be studying what you wrote so I can remember it. I ended up putting a backpack into the mod and it works great. I'm gonna keep working on this mod but thank you once again a lot.

She's looking good! I'm glad you were able to figure out the art work.

 

It sounds like you're getting into the code more. There are several tutorials on this forum, but the best advice I can give is to not be afraid of looking at other mods and code in the base game to see how things are done.

 

Starting with items already in the game is pretty easy. At the end of your character's prefab file will be the line:

return MakePlayerCharacter("<your character's name>", prefabs, assets, fn)

If you include a table after 'fn' then that will be your character's starting items. So if you add:

return MakePlayerCharacter("<your character's name>", prefabs, assets, fn, {"backpack"})

Then she'll start with a backpack, although due to the way backpacks work it will be on the ground. There's probably a way to start with it equipped, but I don't know off the top of my head. I'd be willing to bet if you look around at other mods you could find one that does something similar.

 

To get a bit more complicated it would be easier (and this is how most mods I've seen do it) to make a local table of what you want to start with and then refer to that. So in her prefab file, before "local fn = function(inst)..." you can include:

local start_inv ={   "backpack",   "prefab1",   "prefab2",   "prefab3"}

and then at the bottom:

return MakePlayerCharacter("<your character's name>", prefabs, assets, fn, start_inv)

Of course "prefab1", etc are just examples, you need to use the exact name of the prefab. For the books specifically you can look at Wickerbottom's code to figure out what you want to use. I should note that Wickerbottom also has the ability to craft books, so that might be something to think about.

 

Making a custom item is of course much more work. I think the tutorial you're using goes in to that, but you can also check out these:

http://forums.kleientertainment.com/files/file/202-sample-mods/

http://forums.kleientertainment.com/files/file/367-spriter-example-equippable-item/

http://forums.kleientertainment.com/topic/29427-tutorial-creating-a-handslot-equippable-item-from-scratch/