How do I create custom signage?

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AD_79p2
103 Posts
Posted Jul 14, 2013
I want to create some custom signage, like the white signage Valve created. Only problem is, I have no idea how. Is there a tutorial somewhere?
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ChickenMobile
2,460 Posts
Posted Jul 14, 2013
Replied 57 minutes later
The lightboards you see at the start of each chamber is a VGUI and can be changed by editing sp_lightboard_icons.txt within portal2/scripts/vscripts and putting your own mapname with the icons you would like.
The main problem with doing it this way is the file cannot be packed into the .bsp of the map and therefore you will not be able to see it on the workshop.

Omnicoder created a chamber sign maker that will produce a custom texture for you to use. See here.

Follow this tutorial for the custom texture way: mapping-help/custom-chamber-signs-without-scripts-t3663.html
and this one https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Test_Sign if you want to use sp_lightboards. Please note that VPK's no longer work.

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josepezdj
2,386 Posts
Posted Jul 15, 2013
Replied 3 hours later
Basically, in order to make a custom texture appear into the game you need 2 files:

1.) The "Valve Texture Format" (.VTF). This is your texture or drawing itself.

2.) The "Valve Material Type" (.VMT). This is the configuration of your material or texture. Without this file and the correct path inside to your actual texture, the game won't be able to find your custom material and you won't be able to find it in your texture browser :wink:

Any help you need on this do not hesitate to ask me :thumbup:

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srs bsnss
552 Posts
Posted Jul 22, 2013
Replied 7 days later
And, of course, you'll need some image creating software, though I'll go out on a limb and say you've already got that. If not, some good ones would Photoshop, GIMP, even MS Paint could do the trick if used effectively. Then of course you'd need to export that to .VTF, you'd use VTFEdit for that. VTFEdit also can create a .VMT for you. Then you plonk both in your materials directory, and you're good to go. Don't forget to PakRat, etc.
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josepezdj
2,386 Posts
Posted Jul 22, 2013
Replied 2 hours later

srs bsnss wrote:
... even MS Paint could do the trick if used effectively.

Really? I don't like it at all :biggrin: I thought you would at least mention Paint.Dot.Net :wink: I love it, it's the one I use.

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AD_79p2
103 Posts
Posted Jul 23, 2013
Replied 1 day later
I've been using Paint.Net :razz: