Team Fortress 2 textures

**lhumphries** · February 7th, 2008, 08:55 PM

hi. This is my first thread on this website. I am looking for tf2 weapon textures. I know you can access them through the game but since I havent got tf2 I cant do that. What I am really looking for is the technique in which they used to make the base colors and subtle material colors. I already know how the lighting works and how they are rendered I just am looking for the base textures on the weapons...mainly the wood and metal. Any help would be much appreciated. Maybe a screen of the texture or advice on how to achieve the look.

**Flake** · February 7th, 2008, 09:06 PM

Well, if it's anything like the other HL/Valve mods I remember from years ago, just buy the game?
It's years ago but I remember having full access to the .wad/.pak whatever files it was in the ingame editor (Hammer?), model files, maps, compile tools, plugins, everything and I'd be surprised if Valve have gone all encrypted on things like that seeing as user created content has always been a huge selling point for their games.

I have it on good authority that it's a superb game, maybe just pay a few bucks and study them at your leisure?

**lhumphries** · February 7th, 2008, 09:13 PM

yeah i might just do that. I guess I was hoping someone could tell me the technique or might know how. I is lazy and poor

**Costau D** · February 7th, 2008, 09:15 PM

Download this PDF

Here

Their texturing technique for basic painting is rather simple, but that makes it complicated as well if you want this to look right. This paper explains their process in good detail, but don't be intimidated by it. The math behind the shading is not necessary. Just look at the passes and perhaps search a bit more on how to get the same effect with the engine.

The style is more of a Graphics Art appeal. Limited color choices but choosing the right colors to make a map appealing and easy to read. Quite a bit of work went into the making of this game. So even read this document to appreciate how much effort and thought went into such a seemingly simple design. The only reason they were able to acheive the technique your looking for isnt because of a texture library, it was because of the shaders that were implemented in the engine itself.

**Flake** · February 7th, 2008, 09:22 PM

If you just go for it, there was a huge network of HL modding tutorial and info sites that's probably still intact and now updated..
Word of caution though, that kinda thing was readily available but never easy so while poor won't be a problem, lazy definitely will.

For the HL1 engine all the best links were at VERC but I imagine the source stuff will all go through HL2 /Steam. Look for "dev tools" or "sdk".

Can't provide links as my PC died over a year ago and I never got around to reinstalling the valve stuff.

**lhumphries** · February 7th, 2008, 09:59 PM

hahaha nah im not lazy or poor i just dont want to buy the game right now and i was hoping for a quick sorta answer. That pdf file though i have read...its a really good read for any game developer and it does show rendering and illustrative techniques used. But i think i am going to have to buy it and use the unzipper thing to get the skins and just use the vtf plugin for photoshop to see them. I have been experimenting with layer techniques and at its most basic level, the cutout filter with layer filters added as well.

I came up with this however its a bit plain and too obvious I used to cut out filter. But on the whole it would be good because it shows a sort of cartoon version of air conditioner duct type galvanized steel. Crits?