Development:Cargo (graphics)

Development

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Development Needs and Tasks

We still need to supplement some missing cargo images and improve existing cargo images with low quality or.

Please head over here for a list of open tasks: 2D Images - Cargo

Proposed development roadmap:

• Phase 1 [ 94%]: Provide missing cargo textures
• Phase 2 [ 0%]: Improve cargo images with low quality

Cargo Images

Image Requirements

The cargo graphics format currently recommended for the game space backgrounds is png format (being an open source project, we also prefer open formats). Though we can use on y of the proprietary formats 'png, jpg, or bmp.

The image ratio horizontal:vertical must be 1:1 (assuming pixel ratio of the map is 1:1), since the texture is mapped directly to the user interface. This means a circle must show as a circle when viewing the texture in an image viewer.

The vertical and horizontal size of the image should be a power of two (POT). Really, NPOT (non-power-of-two) textures are really, really, really troublesome. Don't use them. Just use POT. Love the POT. The POT is the mother, the POT is the father. Trust the POT.

That leaves few options:

• 256x256
• 512x512

Currently, 256x256 size is recommended. Keeping original high resolution image (e.g. 1024x1024 or 1280x1280) versions in stock helps maintaining quality and scalability as game development progresses or typical screen resolutions rise in the future with better hardware available to the players. Also, keeping original 3D-models in stock provides for unplanned future changes.

Committed textures are classified as:

• DQ - Development Quality: textures with horizontal resolution of 128 or below and low degree of artistic quality
• RQ - Release Quality: textures with horizontal resolution of 256 or above and medium to high degree of artistic quality
• CQ - Cinematographic Quality: textures with horizontal resolution of 256 or above and very high degree of artistic quality

Creating and Naming

Image names should reflect the cargo name but in lowercase letters separated by underscore ("_").

Including and Testing

Images for cargo items are references in data4.x/master_part_list.csv file. Change the appropriate reference (like: @cargo/concentrates.png@) to your new image file name located in the data4.x/textures/cargo directory.

Next, start Vega Strike, and on a planet or station, go to the trading screen, find your cargo, and verify if your image has been loaded.

Selection and Vetting

The Process

This steps are only required when you are replacing existing cargo images. If the image that you have created meets the texture requirements, then:

• Open a poll for a reasonable period of time (e.g. 2 weeks) and describe:
  • which texture(s) you'd like to replace
  • display your candidates
  • briefly describe the method of creation and tools used
  • If you'd like to replace more than one texture, describe how you would assign the favorites of the poll to the individual textures

• After a set period of time
  • announce the winners
  • and call the poll closed

For both, submitting replacement of existing cargo images or adding missing cargo images (provided the new images are not way off-topic):

• Submit the textures to svn (in case you have commit rights attributed), or
• through the forum or private message, ask a developer with write access to submit them (e.g. the maintainer of this page, pyramid).

Submission

AKA: Committing to SVN.

You will be required to submit:

• The image file
• A master part list file if you are not replacing an existing cargo but have created a new specific image
• a credits text file (copyright.txt or credits.txt file) stating the creator of the source image and the license type of the original image, plus any additional info you may want to supply (source/url, real name, experience, thoughts on the image, modification method)

In addition you may also submit:

• the source code or project file used to create the textures (any format)
• the original image
• the adapted image (if you apply any changes such as cropping, resizing, color transformation)

If you have write access to svn then submit the textures after going through the community selection process. Otherwise, please call, through a forum topic or private message, a developer with write access to submit them.

As of September 2007, svn has two directories for texture data:

• \masters\textures that holds the original textures and also source files that were used to create the textures (if you are willing to share them so that larger resolutions may be produced in the future if required)
• \data4.x\textures that holds the textures used in game.

See also

• HowTos
• Cargo (descriptions) - Detailed descriptions of the items in the cargo MOD.
• Cargo - List of all cargo