Homeworld 2: TutorialLevelThumbnails

How to Create MP Level Thumbnails by ÜberJumper. Discussion
The following tutorial explains how to create image thumbnails for your level files using Photoshop Elements (much cheaper than Real Photoshop). I've done this tutorial because none of the image software I have appears to save TGA files correctly for use as level thumbnails. I'll be looking into trying to get TGA files to work with Photoshop Elements as well (can't use it to create badges either).
Note: This is the method I had to use to do this, and the resulting dds and rot files are substantially smaller than the new TGA file method used in the HW Classic Game Rules modification.

If anyone's got any official Relic methods for creating these ROT files, that'd be awesome. I couldn't find anything in the documentation for the RDN tools about them.

Required Software:

Relic RDN tools (specifically the DDS Plugin)
Spooky's ROT Tool
Photoshop Elements (comes with some Wacom Tablets)
The "defaultmapthumbnail.DDS" file (can also be extracted from the "homeworld2.big" file)

Prep Work:

Install Relic DDS plugin (which is actually an nvidia one) from "C:\Program Files\Relic Developer's Network\tools\Photoshop\Plug-Ins\File Formats" and move it to the "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\Plug-Ins\File Formats" directory.
Take a screenshot (or any image you want really) to represent the level's thumbnail image.

DDS File Creations:

Open the Screenshot you want to use as a thumb for your level
Open in Photoshop
Click Image > Resize... to 365 wide 265 (you can resize your screenshot to 365 and just constrain proportions). Note: I think this may actually be 360 by 270, but am not sure. -Mikail
Click Select > All
Click Image > Rotate > Flip Vertically Note: your image will be mirrored when you are creating the DDS file, when shown in game, it's right way up.
Click Edit > Copy
Click File > Open to open the "defaultmapthumbnail.dds" file.
Click Edit > Paste, and use the Move tool to move the thumbnail overtop of the original picture.
Click File > Save As...
Select DDS from the file type box.
Name the file the same as your ".level" name + "_thumb" (ex: "2p_foundry.level" needs a file called "2p_foundry_thumb.dds")
When prompted for the options on the DDS file, select DTX1 - 1 Bit Alpha (this works)
Click Save
Note: if you don't have Photoshop, then you could also create a 32-bit .TGA image and convert it using the .DDS converter, found here. -Mikail

ROT file Creation:

Open Spooky's "ROTTool.exe"
Click File > Create From File
Select the DDS file you want to turn into a ROT file.
Click Open. The ROT file will automatically be created.
Find the ROT file, and rename it to remove the "_NEW" part so you're left with "<LevelName>_thumb.ROT", where <LevelName> is the name of your level.
Place the ROT file in the same directory as the ".level" file.

Viewing the Thumbnail (Confirming it works):

Open Homeworld 2
Start a Player vs CPU game.
Select your map.
The thumbnail should show!
Note: .ROT files will not transfer over Gamespy like .level files do. In order to view the thumbnails, players will have to download and install them separately.

Related Pages: