Using Gimp For Trackmaking - Help Documentation

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thegreatfalcon
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Using Gimp For Trackmaking - Help Documentation

Post by thegreatfalcon »

Wikipedia wrote:GIMP (the GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free software raster graphics editor. It is primarily employed as an image retouching and editing tool.[3] In addition to offering freeform drawing, GIMP can accomplish essential image workflow steps such as resizing, editing, and cropping photos, combining multiple images, and converting between different image formats. GIMP can also be used to create basic animated images in the GIF format. At present GIMP is entirely suitable for amateur or professional work with images intended for viewing on monitors and printing on inkjet printers; GIMP does not yet offer the CMYK separation and color management functionality which is essential for prepress work
So, using that image processing tool, I'll share you how do I make my tracks using it. You may post your own methods but please, make it clear and screens are welcomed.

Let's start with some basis:
I suggest that you create the main layout using SnakeDitor. Then, load the track in TrackEditor and the main thing that you'll use this for will be for importing/exporting BMPs for both LMAP and HMAP:
export-import.JPG
export-import.JPG (11.13 KiB) Viewed 3909 times
After exporting, everything will be done in the Gimp
Last edited by thegreatfalcon on Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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thegreatfalcon
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Dithering Made Easy!

Post by thegreatfalcon »

Gimp has a brush that is perfect (IMHO) to make dithering: Pencil Sketch
brush.JPG
brush.JPG (7.65 KiB) Viewed 3907 times
You can navigate through the 3 bushes but they are all the same you not the same size... I prefer the #0 Pencil sketch but #1 is convenient as well...


Good. Now that you have you brush, select a colour for your dithering. For that, go in "Window > Dockable Dialogs > Color Map", in the main GIMP window...
colormap.JPG
Now that you have it, I suggest to dock it in your toolbox window but that's not necessary...


Let's start dithering. Take the magic wand and select the area you want to add dithering to. This way, you won't mess up the borders of your track and things... You can also use the "Free Select Tool" to make your selection...
Now, pick the colour of your dithering. In example, on grass, take the mud color. On tarmac, take the opposite tarmac color...
Now, strike your selection with your brush... Don't be scarred to put too much. You can use SHIFT + Click to make lines. I use that way and it work good enough for me...
(see attachement picture #1)


Already, you get a wonderful dithering. But, you can also choose to add some of the base color... The one that you added color one... So, in the example of the tarmac1 that you just added tarmac2 on, you could add some more tarmac1 to make the strikes looks less compact. Repeating these two steps some times will lead into nice results... (picture #2)
dith1.JPG
Hope it helped! :banana:
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thegreatfalcon
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Re: Using Gimp For Trackmaking - Help Documentation

Post by thegreatfalcon »

A very easy way to make layouts or just roads is to use the path tool.

1. Make a path for the road you want. I suggest you use another layer if you work over existing roads

2. Select a road color (usually light gray) and hit the "Strike Paht" button while you have your path selected.

3. Enter the desired width (total width of the road. Usually, pair number give better result than unpair numbers ex: 32, 30, 28... in px). Click ok...

4. Select the border's color and again, hit the "Strike Paht" button while you have your path selected.

5. Put 2 pixels smaller as width (if you had 30px, put 28px ><) and stroke your path.

6. Again, reduce the width by two while using the color you used at first. This makes nice looking roads easily :).

NOTES:
- You may use textures besides of just color I think... :scratch:
- You may do some middle lines by putting the width to 3px, striking in white and striking back with base color on a width of 1.5px
- Be sure the line style is set to the one you want. Using some dashed style, you can do nice middle lines but beware to get in back to normal mode before striking another road because you can get dashed roads which is sometimes confusing. :hide:
- If the result goes over the edges of the path, delete this one and re-do it. I had this bug once but I find it useful to notify it...
- Be creative!!!! :D

Sorry for no images too lazy just now... :whirl: Coming up next: Making kerbs easily. :misch:
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