mapbuilder tga photoshop issues

[soccersetter643]

Hi all. I am trying to generate a heightmap from scratch in photoshop that I can then import into RT3 and use to create a map. I am using Photoshop CS4. I create the square at the right size (64+1 multiples), color it varying shades of black and white, and have tried saving as a targa, psd, jpg, and bmp file, but whenever I try to import into the map editor, I get the following error:

The selected image is not useable by the game.

To be useable, an image must be an uncompressed, true-color (24 or 32 bit) Targa image.

Anyone have any tips on creating this? My guess is that it is an issue with the color settings in photoshop, but I don't have a lot of experience with manipulating those. Can anyone give me some tips?

[thietavu]

Yes, I faced the same issue. For some reason, Photoshop-made TGAs didn't work. Only after I loaded and then saved them again in Corel Photo Paint did they work.

[Hawk]

I could be wrong on this, but I think I read somewhere that Photoshop has a problem saving tga images in the right format for RT3.

OK! I just checked with CS2 and there doesn't appear to be the option to save a tga in uncompressed 24 or 32 bit, which is what you need for RT3.

Click on image to view full size

Using Paint Shop Pro 10, I have these options.

Click on image to view full size

[cheminot]

Try Gimp. Works great and it's free.

[soccersetter643]

Cheminot, I've downloaded GIMP, but can't seem to get it to save the targa files correctly. I'm still getting the same error. Could you elaborate on how to use it?

By the way, I thought I would elaborate on how I am generating the maps. First of all, I am using mac only to generate the files.

I started by using google sketchup, downloading some terrain data, merging it together, and painting it using the projected texture technique and mapping a basic photoshop gradient horizontally onto the terrain (if people are interested in using this method, I'd be more than happy to create a tutorial for it).



I then edit it so the background is black...



and export it in whatever format I deem necessary (usually either jpg, png or tif).



so what i end up is a greyscale image gradient, but it's not in the correct format. Here is the final image in .jpg format.



i'm wondering if theres any easy way to convert that image to the correct targa format. Any tips would be appreciated.

[Hawk]

First off, I would avoid the jpg format for this type of image. It's a losey format and not as good as png or bmp.

I downloaded and installed Gimp and I didn't see any way to export a file in tga format with any options to save as uncompressed 24 bit, or any options for that matter.
Someone more familiar with Gimp may be able to help on that.

[Blackhawk]

I didn't look into it much but it looks like they might have taken out the option to save as a TGA in version 2.8 of GIMP.

I used to use photofiltre and that may have saved TGA's correctly. Either that or I edited in photofiltre and then just used infraview to load the image and resave it as a TGA that RT3 would recognize.

Also another option would be to use a site like zamzar.com and upload your picture there and convert it to a TGA through that site.

Edit:
From what I read, version 2.8 of GIMP still lets you save files as TGA, but rather than "save" the image you have to "export" the image to that format.

[soccersetter643]

Confirmed, you can save/export targa files in Gimp 2.8, and can even select uncompressed as an option, but no option appears for 24 or 32 bit color scheme. It sounds like the only real way is to follow the tutorial online about using arcgis and use that, which is a windows only program. Bummer!

[nedfumpkin]

try converting your image to 24 bit colour before saving and see if that works. Besides, RT3 likes pure red for oceans.

[Gumboots]

If you export as uncompressed .TGA from GIMP 2.8.x it will work. Don't worry about the number of colours in the palette. It will be correct.

You can also save as .TGA from Photoshop CS5. It will give you the option to select 16, 24 or 32 bit, and compressed or uncompressed.

BTW, I found basic greyscale images didn't give very good results.

[cheminot]

I used gimp2 for all my logos and I didn't encounter any probls. It's all in the alpha channel and the uncompressed options.
I definitely agree that greys are a source of problems.
But then, map making ins't my forte, but I'm beggining to tackle it
I gave some hints in a quick tut for logo making in my "logos scenarii" in using ANY paint soft, reworking it in gimp2 and saving in TGA. so far no compalints
more later
cheminot