[Guide] Adding 2D Species Portraits

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

2D Species Recipe

Preparation

1. Download the base_mod.zip file attached to this post
2. Run the base vanilla stellaris game at least once
3. Ensure you have a ".../documents/paradox interactive/Stellaris/mod" Folder. If you do not then make one.
4. Extract the .zip file to your ".../documents/paradox interactive/Stellaris/mod" folder
5. Rename the "base_mod_portrait" folder and "base_mod_portait.mod" file to whatever name you like
6. Open the .mod file with a text editor
7. Delete everything in the file
8. Paste the following code into the file, replacing names and location where necessary:

Code:

name="{INSERT THE NAME OF THE MOD YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SEE}"
path="mod/{INSERT THE FOLDER NAME EXACTLY HERE}/"
tags={
    "Graphics"
}
supported_version="0.3.1.0"

9. Start the game launcher.
10. Click the "mod" tab.
11. Select the mod and ensure it is ticked.
12. Start the game and start a new game.
13. Make a custom species, click "appearance".

You should see a green picture under the mammal group. If you did, SUCCESS! if not then you have failed somewhere.

EXTRA

If you DO NOT have photoshop or gimp then delete the .PSD and .atn file as these are for photoshop only
If you use photoshop, use the .psd file to make your .dds file
If you use gimp, use the .psd file to make your .dds file (Gimp supports .psd files
If you have gimp, delete the .atn file
If you have photoshop, the .atn file is the action file. If you do not know how to use action files delete this file.
If you know how to use actions, this action will automate the alpha channel. Simply select what you want on the alpha channel in your selection, have the appropriate layer selected and run the action.

NOTE: All references in the future to the "base_mod_portrait" will be talking about the folder and file you renamed in step 5 of this "Preperation" section.

Method
.DDS File

These instructions were made with photoshop in mind. You can use these instructions with any advanced picture editing program (like GIMP) but the specifics of the instructions may be a little off. The overall instructions should work with any advanced picture editing program.

Ensure you have downloaded the attached base_mod.zip file and followed the install instructions found in the "Preperation" section of this post.

1. Install the .DDS plugin for your relevant picture editor.(See Below)

GIMP
PHOTOSHOP
OTHER (Use Google)

2. Find and open the "testportait.dds" in your "../base_mod_portrait/gfx/portraits" folder with your picture editing program.
3. It is highly recommended that you just use the green area of this .DDS file. Whilst you can use the orange area it is not recommended at all and could cause issues.
4. Place the picture you have decided to use for your species in the green area, edit as required.
5. You want to ensure the area you want the players to see is already cut out so you have what you want people to see on only 1 layer.
6. CTRL+Left click the thumbnail of the layer, this should create a marquee area around every object on that layer.
7. Open the "channels" window.
8. Left click the "alpha 1" channel so that you activate that channel.
9. Fill your, already selected, marquee area with white
10. Inverse your selection.
11. Fill this new area with black
12. Select your "RGB" channel (the Alpha 1 channel should now no longer be active in any way)
13. Save your file as a .dds file using the following settings: (Named: {SPECIES-NAME-HERE}.dds)

DTX5 ARGB 8 BPP | Interpolated alpha
2D Texture
No MIP Maps
MIP Map Filtering --> Filter Type: Point

Mod Files - Adding Species Variation (For Advanced Modders)

Ensure you have downloaded the attached base_mod.zip file and followed the install instructions found in the "Ingredients" section of this post.

Ensure you have followed the instructions in the ".DDS File" section of this post

1. Open your mod's "portrait.txt" file.
2. Delete any reference to the species you plan on adding variation to.
3. Use as much of the following code as you need to, make more lines as necessary. Insert this code in between the "portraits = {}" block: ("SPECIES" refers to the species name you used in your "species_classes.txt" file)

Code:

  SPECIES_default_1 = {  texturefile = "gfx/portraits/SPECIES_default_01.dds"}
  SPECIES_default_female_1 = {  texturefile = "gfx/portraits/SPECIES_default_female_01.dds"}
   SPECIES_leader_1 = {  texturefile = "gfx/portraits/gamorrean/SPECIES_leader_01.dds"}
   SPECIES_leader_2 = {  texturefile = "gfx/portraits/gamorrean/SPECIES_leader_02.dds"}
   SPECIES_ruler_1 = {  texturefile = "gfx/portraits/gamorrean/SPECIES_ruler_01.dds"}
   SPECIES_ruler_2 = {  texturefile = "gfx/portraits/gamorrean/SPECIES_ruler_02.dds"}

4. After the "portraits = {}" block, insert the following:

Code:

portrait_groups = {

}

5. In the empty space in the middle of the above code insert the following code:

Code:

  SPECIES = {
     default = SPECIES_default_1 #The picture used in the species creator when selecting appearance
     game_setup = { #Portraits added here will be the possible leader selection in the species creator
       add = {
         trigger = {
           ruler = { gender = male }
         }
         portraits = {
           SPECIES_default_1
         }
       }
       add = {
         trigger = {
           ruler = { gender = female }
         }
         portraits = {
           SPECIES_default_female_1
         }
       }
     }  
     #species scope
     species = { #generic portrait for a species
       add = {
         portraits = {
           SPECIES_default_1
           SPECIES_default_female_1
         }
       }
     }  
     #pop scope
     pop = { #for a specific pop (Such as on a planet)
       add = {
         portraits = {
           SPECIES_default_1
           SPECIES_default_female_1
         }
       }
     }
     #leader scope
     leader = { #scientists, generals, admirals, governor
       add = {
         trigger = {
           gender = male
         }
         portraits = {
           SPECIES_leader_1
           SPECIES_leader_2
           SPECIES_ruler_1
           SPECIES_ruler_2
         }
       }
     }
     #leader scope
     ruler = { #New rulers selected from here
       add = {
         trigger = {
           gender = male
         }
         portraits = {
           SPECIES_ruler_1
         }
       }
     }
   }

EXTRA

You can use "set" rather than "add". Leaders that are "added", for example, will also use the generic pops. Leaders that are "set" will only use the pics defined within the set.
You can use ANY trigger at the leader, ruler, or pop scope in the above portraits.
Once a portrait has loaded in, it will not reload during the game. If you tie a portrait to a leader trait, for example, and that leader does not get the trait until after they are already in the game, then the portrait will remain the same.

Helpful Triggers:

leader_class = scientist
leader_class = admiral
leader_class = governor
leader_class = general
leader_class = ruler
trait =
gender = female
gender = male

Summercat · May 10, 2016

I'm a bit on the stupid side and its been a few hours; is this just for leader portraits or does it work for the full racial thing?

Shuul · May 10, 2016

Can this be pinned? thanks!

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

It does it for everything. So that's for leaders, for pop pics. Everything.

If you ask a more specific question I can help you out.

@Summercat

Maarten99 · May 10, 2016

@dskod1

If I want to set my species in it's own category (and not just mammalian like you did), how would I do that ?

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

@Maarten99
OH dear, here is where i gets fun

Do you plan on making the species selectable in the species editor?

Maarten99 · May 10, 2016

dskod1 said:
@Maarten99
OH dear, here is where i gets fun Do you plan on making the species selectable in the species editor?

Well, yeah... Apparently just replacing MAM by another tag in the common/species_classes has weird effects !

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

@Maarten99

This should basically be your species classes file. Leave the top one and the bottom one (these are vanilla portraits) and instead rename the middle one to what you want and use that for making your new species.

If you do not do this then, for some reason, it grabs the pre-sentient portrait pictures. By doing the file configuration like this you put your new portraits right after the current shown portraits.

Most importantly, it works

Is this what you were looking for?

Maarten99 · May 10, 2016

dskod1 said:
@Maarten99

This should basically be your species classes file. Leave the top one and the bottom one (these are vanilla portraits) and instead rename the middle one to what you want and use that for making your new species.

If you do not do this then, for some reason, it grabs the pre-sentient portrait pictures. By doing the file configuration like this you put your new portraits right after the current shown portraits.

Most importantly, it works

Is this what you were looking for?

It is, thanks ! And it works, which is even better

Do you happen to know where the class names are localized (eg in vanilla, the Mammalians use a MAM tag, yet it appears as Mammalian) ?

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

@Maarten99

Here you go.

Maarten99 · May 10, 2016

You're a life-saver !

The Custodian · May 10, 2016

Is there a way to add outfit and a clothing selector to a 2d mod or is that 3d/Animated creatures only?

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

@The Custodian
Clothes move with the body, so no. Though you could just create a 2d portrait with clothes.

The Custodian · May 10, 2016

True, but what i was hoping for was the ability to cycle portraits like normal races for governors, scientists, and so on, ah well.

I do have maya but i dont know the first thing about using it. Never mind animating.

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

@The Custodian
You can do that. Easy peasy with 2d portraits. In fact it uses the same code that the 3d portraits use. It just has nothing to do with clothing.

The Custodian · May 10, 2016

Well... I was having some issues so i tried redoing from the start and I cant even get the green box under the mamallian section using a fresh download of the .zip file. I get an empty black one instead.

Maarten99 · May 10, 2016

The Custodian said:
Well... I was having some issues so i tried redoing from the start and I cant even get the green box under the mamallian section using a fresh download of the .zip file. I get an empty black one instead.

Sounds like the game can't find the image. Have you check wether the path in texturefile = {PATH} correctly leads to the .dds file ?

dskod1 · May 10, 2016

@The Custodian
Go to my .DDS file instructions. Follow that and then try again with your own .dds file. I think I stuffed that one up

The Custodian · May 10, 2016

Right... So i got it working in the basic method, and gave a try with the more advanced to try and cycle different clothing for the pops and leaders... And then got nothing popping up (empty black boxes) . If anyone with more experience than me has the patience to... Heres my file contents.

01_testportrait_species_classes

MAM = {
portraits = {
"testportrait"
}
}

01_testportrait_portraits
I'm hoping to have Trumpcivie as generic pops

portraits = {
SPECIES_default_1 = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trumpcivie.dds"}
SPECIES_leader_1 = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trump_Governor.dds"}
SPECIES_ruler_1 = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trump_ruler1.dds"}
SPECIES_ruler_2 = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trump_ruler2.dds"}
SPECIES_General = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trump_General.dds"}
SPECIES_Admiral = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trump_Admiral.dds"}
SPECIES_Scientist = { texturefile = "gfx/portraits/Trump/Trump_Scientist.dds"}
}

portrait_groups = {
Trump = {
default = Trump_default_1 #The picture used in the species creator when selecting appearance
game_setup = { #Portraits added here will be the possible leader selection in the species creator
add = {
trigger = {
ruler =
}
portraits = {
SPECIES_ruler_2
}
}

}
#species scope
species = { #generic portrait for a species
add = {
portraits = {
SPECIES_default_1

}
}
}
#pop scope
pop = { #for a specific pop (Such as on a planet)
add = {
portraits = {
SPECIES_default_1

}
}
}
#leader scope
leader = { #scientists, generals, admirals, governor
add = {
trigger = {

}
portraits = {
SPECIES_Scientist
SPECIES_General
SPECIES_Admiral
SPECIES_leader_1
}
}
}
#leader scope
ruler = { #New rulers selected from here
add = {
trigger = {
gender = male
}
portraits = {
SPECIES_ruler_1
}
}
}
}

}

bugball · May 10, 2016

Working well

[Guide] Adding 2D Species Portraits

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