
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

     TUTORIAL FOR BUTTON CREATION : JUS_SAURON

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

This uses a simple button template with Alpha channels for quick access


;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;



1. Get a pic

It can be an ingame shot or something you found 

2. Open the Button Template Tutorial.bmp Bitmap

3 . Add the pic to the BUTTON BOX , this is a guide as to how the button will look

4. Once all the necc buttons have been Added ,SAVE the Bitmap file as a BMP

5. Align the new BOTTON BOXES to the TEMPLATE.bmp ,  this will be the file containing all the new buttons you made

NB :  when aligning DON'T increase the size of the BMP file  ...  It must remain the same size

i.e TEMPLATE.bmp must just have the new pics instead of numbers 

6. Save the NEWTEMPLATE.bmp

7. Open the buildingradialbuttons_900.tga

I use Adobe PS2 *** 

If you know another program fine ...

8. Open the new NEWTEMPLATE.bmp in Adobe PS2 as well

9. Duplicate the NEWTEMPLATE.bmp layer onto the buildingradialbuttons_900.tga file as the new background

10. Now you should have buildingradialbuttons_900.tga looking like your new buttons AND have the necc Alpha channels

11. Save the buildingradialbuttons_900.tga as buildingradialbuttons_901.tga  .. MUST BE AS TARGA

12 .  Use the DDSConverter and convert to buildingradialbuttons_901.DDS

13 . Save ingame in the a appropriate folder 

MOD\art\compiledtextures\bu

14. Reference the pics from the DDS file ,, See the button references.txt

Just add the refernces in the buildingradialbuttons.ini 

in  MOD\data\ini\mappedimages\aptimages

15 . You can change the name instead of Pic1 eg. NewUnitBuildPic , NewHeroPortrait , NewSuperPower

15. Add to the commandbutton or Portraits ingame as NewSuperPower

eg


MappedImage HaradrimKingHI
  Texture = muildingRadialButtons_901.tga
  TextureWidth = 256
  TextureHeight = 256
  Coords = Left:192 Top:128 Right:256 Bottom:192
  Status = NONE
End

CommandButton Command_ConstructMordorHaradrimKingHorde
	Command				= UNIT_BUILD
	Object				=    HaradrimKingHorde
	Options				= CANCELABLE
	TextLabel			= OBJECT:MordorHradrimCaptain
	ButtonImage			= HaradrimKingHI ;; <<< NEW PIC 
	ButtonBorderType	= BUILD 
	DescriptLabel		= CONTROLBAR:ToolTipBuildMordorHaradKing
	Radial				= Yes
	InPalantir	   		= Yes
	ShowProductionCount	= Yes
End



;====================

This tutorial uses Adobe PS2 to open targa files and duplicate the bacground of the new pic to the existing targa
to retain ALPHA CHANNELS

You can also create HERO icons by duplicating the ALPHA CHANNEL and then pick the colour of the alpha channel 
and paint in the neccessary hidden portions on the ALPHA CHANNEL

If another program can be used fine ....

===========================

You will aloso want to read articles on 

1. creating New asset.Bat 

2. Using DDS Converter

3. Creating the parchment look for Palintir pics






