UT3 map in Portal Setting
I've got this idea to make an UT3 map in the Aperture Enrichment Centre.
But I need the Portal textures in normal formats.
How can I decompile .vmf and .vtf files into normal pictures?
I've already extracted the textures out of the PortalContent folderfile thing.
(I can go taking screenshots from the source SDK texture browser but that's a bit silly. I'll do this if there isn't anything thou.)
I would really love to fight in Portal setting with UT3, so if anyone has a way please do tell me how to get the textures.
UT3+Portal = luv
I don't know if just screenshotting the textures would be an adequate solution, what would you do about the texture mapping? It would come out looking very UT99-ish without maps. Very neat idea though, if it works out I'd like to download the texture pack in the UT3 format. I'd also like to play your Portal-on-UT3 maps 
i'm pretty much 100% sure that taking the Valve OWNED textures and porting them into a non-valve game would = theft and copywrite issues
its not cuz im making freeware maps?
else I'll just ask, they won't loose money with what I'm doing here.
I know there are UT3 skins of characters that are owned by other companies, such as the Master Chief one, and i haven't heard anything about that being illegal, so maybe a map in aperture laboratories wouldn't be illegal? It sounds like a great idea for a map there and i hope it works out.
yeah it sounds great BUT you are still using ONE companies property to make maps for a DIFFERENT companies game and it being a freeware doesn't change that.
they let you use them for free for hl2 engine based maps because... it keeps the engine alive, and they make more money. but if you do this for a different engine, you are pulling attention away from THEIR engine, and i'm sure thats not allowed.
Copyright law is tricky. First off, the idea that because you're giving away your stuff that includes someone else's copyrighted work always makes it okay is false. If I include chapter 1 of the latest Tom Clancy book in my book, and give it away, I'm still infringing.
What you guys are worried about is fair use, which "provides for the legal, non-licensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author's work under a four-factor balancing test. " ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use ) These four factors are as follows:
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
I don't know of any legal precedents for fair use of things like maps, but I could see things like Halo skins and Portal textures being used in UT3 going either way. Essentially, there is no case law on the topic, so it's a very large gray area. However, I wouldn't worry about getting sued, because Bungie or Valve would likely just send you a cease and desist order to stop using their stuff.
However, remember, I am not a lawyer.
Hmm... is that Master Chief-skin not manually modelled? Or is it ripped from the game? Because ripping something from a game and using it in custom content for another game is something else than reproducing it yourself.
At least, I thought so. There's still the issue of the icon Master Chief, he's a trademark, I think.
"Duct Tape is the answer."
illl go ask the guys at valve.
but in the meantime, can I have some sort of way of decompiling vtf and vmf files?
I had a quick look at the The Steam Subscriber Agreement and it clearly says that you're not permitted to use their work in other game engines.