Tutorial 2: Custom textures - way of making original adventures
The point of this tutorial is to show you how to use custom textures CLEVERLY and without much work.
Why should I use custom textures?
The answer is very simple: you can make new objects with them, making your adventures unique. Retexturing of eyecandy objects, such as trees and flowers, can make completely new landscapes.
How should I use custom textures?
The power of Custom textures cannot be underestimated, but they can be easily overused. There's one kind of Custom Textures which is always OK - recolourings. Coloured chompers, scritters or trees can add a nice theme to your level. There are also some retexturings (like my animal chompers, which you can find below), but you have to be careful using these.
How to store Custom Textures?
Most of designers never think about this. They put Custom Textures into [Editor Folder]/Custom. Because the level format saves the path to the texture, it has to be the same on uploader's and player's computers.
This results in complete mess in Custom folder. Tons of textures are stored there, making finding a specific one such a pain. Don't worry, there's a way to fix it.
My Custom folder is well-organised: I made a separate subfolders for textures of certain things. I have all the Chomper textures in one place, without any other images.
You have to remember that if you're the downloader, you have to put Custom Textures given by the adventure's designer the way he/she described. Otherwise you won't be able to play an adventure.
Which Custom Textures are good?
My personal answer is: all the ones that don't seem to be made using MS Paint. There are tons of awful, MS Paint-like textures on the forum.
There is no certain rule about the texture's quality. Choose what you like.