WorldForge-ArtImport
WorldForge Art import workflow and tutorial.
When WorldForge starts for the first time, it creates a subfolder in the current directory called ".storage". It caches some files there so that it can be used if the server is offline, but it also creates a configuration file to enable GitHub integration so artists can develop new terrain sprites and test them before creating pull requests.
Before beginning this process, ensure you have cloned the Stormhalter repo using a git tool like GitHub Desktop. If you need help with this process, consult the Stormhalter Discord.
To configure WorldForge, open the [.storage\CustomArt.cfg] file and modify the first line to point to the Content folder of your local repo. If you wish to disable GitHub integration, simply delete this file and it will be regenerated with the default path.
Once configured, WorldForge will now prefer the \Data\Terrain-External.xml and \WorldForge\Components.xml files when loading, over the ones in the .Bin files shipped with Stormhalter. You can make edits to these files and they will be reflected in the editor.
At this time, the only way to reload these files is to restart WorldForge entirely. A "hot-reload" feature should be forthcoming.
Overview
The process for importing new art has three major steps:
- Create sprite sheets or individual sprites as .png images
- Create Terrain definitions in Data/Terrain-External.xml
- Create Component definitions in WorldForge\Components.xml
Creating Sprite Sheets
Actually creating the sprites is not in scope for this document. The relevant details though, are that the sprites need to be either 55x55px (flat floor tiles) or 100x100px(any tile with depth that overlaps another tile). Sprites need to be saved as PNG files, and the engine supports the alpha channel for transparency.
Updating Terrain-External.xml
Review the comment at the top of Terrain-External.xml. Be aware of the details for cost, order, and underpile, as these have effects on gameplay.
The texture attribute is a relative path from the Content folder to the sprite sheet, but does not contain the file extension: [Korazail\Terrain\floors] would cause WorldForge to look for a sprite sheet at [Content\Korazail\Terrain\floors.png].
The source attribute is in the format (left, top, width, height). If you juxtapose the left and top coordinates, as long as your sprite sheet is not square, WorldForge will alert at startup that the source is out of bounds.
You will need to come up with unique Terrain IDs for your tiles. You can see the existing used IDs by looking at the Static dropdown in the WorldForge Components picker. At the time of this writing, Tenser is using 622-784 and is a regular contributor. There are thousands of available IDs, so give other contributors some padding when choosing your ranges. If you happen to collide with an existing Terrain ID, Worldforge will alert at startup.
Updating Components.xml
WIP
