Tutorial: Tileable Textures

Discussion in 'Tutorials' started by vampiricpuppy, Dec 23, 2006.

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  1. vampiricpuppy

    vampiricpuppy cuddly nosferatu

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    While i haven't tried my hand at making maps yet, with all the talk of 3d isometric programs and such; i thought i'd share a basic photoshop technique (that many people may already know) but is extremely useful for the creation of tileable textures.

    The texture that i'm creating here is a scale texture (not exactly ideal for making a map as such, but it does get the point across).

    The picture i am using was simply found using a google search for 'scales' :p

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1974&d=1166890145

    From that original picture, we take a relatively level area of the texture we wish to tile, using the crop tool. Select the area you wish to keep by dragging a rectangular marquee over it with this tool; tweak it using the outer handle boxes, then press enter to crop it.

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1975&d=1166890145

    Note, at this point if you try to use this as a tile, the edges of the image will be distinct; usually taking the form of square distinctions between each tile. This will only become more pronounced the smaller the tile is when viewed in-game.

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1978&d=1166890363

    Now, the good part; fixing the tile-edges.

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1976&d=1166890145

    Go to Filter > Other > Offset

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1977&d=1166890145

    Inside this filter, you will find controls to 'move' the edges of the image around, essentially, you move the image upwards, and the bits that move outside the image move up below the bottom edge - what this does is to make the 'defined' edges of the tile move into the centre of the image, leaving non-defined areas (since they were properly aligned pixels within the normal area of the image) located around the edges of the new image. See here how the edgy bits are actually across the centre of the image now?

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1979&d=1166890512

    Using the Clone Stamp tool, copy suitable pieces of the image over the edgy bits :)

    Holding alt will set up the area you want to copy from, then subsequent paintings will copy from your clone area onto the edge bits; to effectively erase them.

    (If you check 'aligned' at the top of your screen, this will mean that every time you paint cloned areas; the area you are cloning will move itself along with your paintbrush - the only way to really understand this is to try the tool with and without this option checked)

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1980&d=1166890512

    Take care NOT to go over the edges of the image with your clone stamp; doing this will create more defined edges for your tile - something you want to avoid. So as to remove every part of your edges, you probably want to do 2-3 offsets total to make sure they are all gone, and not go over the edges of your image (keep preview checked and move the values around to test the tile).

    Once you are finished, you should end up with something that tiles effectively! :)

    http://www.co8.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1981&d=1166890512

    Hope this has been a help to some people :D
     

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    Last edited: Dec 24, 2006
  2. vampiricpuppy

    vampiricpuppy cuddly nosferatu

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    Re: Tileable Textures Tutorial

    other images
     

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  3. Shiningted

    Shiningted I want my goat back Administrator

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    Re: Tileable Textures Tutorial

    Hey thats very useful! Never knew about the wrap-around thing :) (And good to see someone writing tutorials ;) ).

    As far as mapmaking goes, if anyone wants brick / stone etc textures, just PM me, I have some high-quality (ie several Mb) ones I can email, taken from appropriately ancient sites (convict areas of Sydney, colonial parts of Malaysia etc).
     
  4. Ax Thrower

    Ax Thrower Blood Lust

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    My first finished attempt at making ice for walls...:dead: :dead:
    This was done in Paint.net not photoshop.. I used a tutorial online and then had to modify the instructions and use different tools to come up with something similar
     

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