Tutorial : Creating your custom gauges/HUD

[Impreza09]

As I saw there were no tutorials about this, and people were asking for it, I learned to do it by myself with a good result! So here is my tutorial.

You need:

Djey´s Modding Tools (DOWNLOAD PAGE)

Any program that can save/load dds (GIMP + dds plugin, PS,etc.)

 

First of all, I highly recommend you to organise yourself, so create the following folders :

1) TDU Mod Gauges (or whatever)

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step1.jpg

 

2)A folder with the name of the car which you are making the gauges for.

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step2.jpg

 

3)In that folder create the following ones:

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step3.jpg

 

Now, I will show you how to install a gauge from your xcf/psd image.

 

1) Open TDU Modding Tools

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step4.jpg

 

2) Open 2DB->DDS Converter and click on Many on the top

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step5.jpg

 

3) Browse bnk file in Atari\Test Drive Unlimited\Euro\Bnk\FrontEnd\HiRes\Gauges

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step6.jpg

 

4) Choose XXX\TDU Mod Gauges\XXX Car\org as target folder

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step7.jpg

 

5) Open your xcf/psd file of the gauge (ext_rpm/int_kmh/int_mph/int_rpm/needle)

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step8.jpg

 

6) Save it as png in your XXX\TDU Mod Gauges\XXX Car\png folder.

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step9.jpg

 

7) Close the xcf/psd file and open the png one

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step10.jpg

 

8) Resize it to 256x256px

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step11.jpg

 

9) Save as dds format in your dds folder

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step12.jpg

 

10) Set compression to BC3/DXT5 and tic Generate Mipmaps

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step13.jpg

 

11) Open TDU Modding Tools and DDS->2DB Converter

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step14.jpg

 

12) Select the dds file you made and browse the 2db file in your 2db folder, and write its name without .2db

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step15.jpg

 

YOU MUST REPEAT THE PROCESS WITH needle (optional), ext_rpm, int_kmh, int_mph and int_rpm

 

13) Open your 2db folder

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step16.jpg

 

14) Open TDUMT and File Browser

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step17.jpg

 

15) In the File Browser, select the gauge file in Atari\Test Drive Unlimited\Euro\Bnk\FrontEnd\HiRes\Gauges and select the bnk file.

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step18.jpg

 

16) Drag the 2db files of your 2db folder to the right bottom of the file browser. This message should appear : All X Files packed. BNK File saved.

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step19.jpg

 

17) Play!

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/Impreza09/Step20.jpg

[COMB@T_$HOTGUN]

Nice made tuto

Good job m8 1 rep+ for helping the commy

[iLLusion]

Don't worry about the comments, you have to have in mind that this game is fairly old and not many of players are left. ;)

 

Thank you for the time you've spent writing this more than useful tutorial, you deserve some +rep!

 

btw.

Slightly offtopic, but...

 

Any HUD maker out there? We already got custom sound, custom physics and only thing we are missing to make full package, is a custom HUD. Anyone interested to join our little project?

Project I'm talking about is M3 E30, if you've somehow missed it. You can see current pics here.

 

Hit me on PM if you are up for it. Thanks in advance. ;)

[iLLusion]

Oops, I didn't noticed my inbox was already full, sorry. :)

 

So you're in? Great! For stock version we would like you to make stock gauges if possible. But, we are all about creativity, so you can be as creative as you want with HUD for our LL-edition! Anyway, we'll continue our little discussion over PM.

[Impreza09]

Oh, and Id like to ask you one thing... What is all that about +rep and -rep, how does it work?