This post is intended to address the questions frequently posted about how to begin creating texture packs for Minecraft. It is not exhaustive nor exclusive, but it provides a simple and direct method to begin authoring texture packs. It is currently written with 16 pixel per tile texture packs supported. In the future I will add downloads for other resolutions and additional instructions where needed.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Right click the default16pxTexturepack.zip file.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Choose "Extract to default16pxTexturepack\"
[*:2qoaxmqm]Open the default16pxTexturepack folder
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit any or all of the included files.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit the pack.txt file to contain a short description of your pack. This will appear in the texture selector window.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit the pack.png to be an image that represents your pack. This will appear in the texture selector window.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit the png files in paint.net to create the textures that you desire. Do not alter the file's dimensions.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Save your edited files back into the default16pxTexturepack folder
[*:2qoaxmqm]Rename the default16pxTexturepack folder to whatever you want to call your pack.
ex. MyTexturePack
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select all files in the ( renamed ) MyTexturePack folder.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Choose "Add to Archive"
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select the ZIP radio button in the "Archive Format" area. On the General Tab, Leave everything at the defaults which should be...
[*:2qoaxmqm]Compression method:normal
[*:2qoaxmqm]Split to volume bytes: NOT SET
[*:2qoaxmqm]Options:NONE TICKED
[*:2qoaxmqm]Update Mode:Add and replace files
[*:2qoaxmqm]Confirm the name is "MyTexturePack.zip"
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click "OK"
INSTALLING A NEW TEXTURE PACK
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select your "MyTexturePack.zip" file
[*:2qoaxmqm]Copy it.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Run Minecraft
[*:2qoaxmqm]Login
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click the "Mods and Texture Packs" button
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click the "Open texture pack folder" button.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Paste your "MyTexturePack.zip" file into the "texturepacks" folder.
[*:2qoaxmqm] If you modify certain files which are not currently imported from the texturepack.zip files you must manually install them directly in the minecraft.jar file for them to appear in-game.
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/gui/items.png ( Only the watch texture requires direct install other textures will be imported from the texturepack.zip file. If you modify the watch and want it to appear in-game then you have to directly install the items.png file at minecraft.jar/gui/items.png )
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/misc/dial.png
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/misc/grasscolor.png
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/misc/foliagecolor.png
The following four files are not included in the "defaultTexturepack.zip" file. These are used for custom water and lava when using Xau's MCPatcher to support texture packs > 16 pixels per tile, or to support custom water and lava in a 16 pixel per tile texture pack. You must create these files yourself as their dimensions are variable. See the MCPatcher thread for details on these files.
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_water_flowing.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_water_still.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_lava_flowing.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_lava_still.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]Return to Minecraft
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select "MyTexturePack.zip" in the list of texture packs.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click Done.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Play Minecraft with your new texture pack and confirm the textures are as you expected.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Capture screenshots or video displaying your new textures.
DISTRIBUTING A NEW TEXTURE PACK
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select a host for your texture pack and supporting assets. Suggestions follow.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Dropbox is an excellent, free file host for your texture pack that will allow you to link directly to it from the forums rather than sending people to another site to get it. they allow 10 GB of traffic per day for free accounts. This should be sufficient for your texture pack, but images or video may exceed this cap if your pack becomes popular.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Imgur.com is an excellent, free image hosting site for your screen captures an other images. There are no limits on transfer on imgur.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Youtube is likely the best host for your videos.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Create a post on minecraftforums.net in the Texture packs sub-forum and/or other minecraft-oriented sites to promote your texture pack.
Creat a title that includes at least...
[*:2qoaxmqm]Your texture pack's name
[*:2qoaxmqm]Your texture pack's resolution ( 16, 32, 64 or 128 )
[*:2qoaxmqm]Provide a link to the hosted "MyTexturePack.zip" file.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Describe your intention in creating your pack. Your description can greatly influence the perception of your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Check your spelling and grammar. These can affect other's perceptions of you and your pack. Just as importantly, responses dwelling on typos and grammar can derail your thread.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Use images to illustrate the unique qualities your pack displays.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Use the [img] [/img] tags rather than [img] as these will scale your images to fit and allow clicking them to load the full-sized image.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Shoot screen shots in adequate light. If it is barely visible on your screen it may be completely black to others.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Sunrise and sunset provide excellent opportunities for dramatic images.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Include natural and man made objects in your images to best display all the aspects of your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]You may want to Download the Texture Pack Text Track Map and shoot a single image displaying all of the textures in your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]You may want to display the terrain.png file and the items.png file for a overview of your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Video is particularly effective at demonstrating your textures in-game.
REPLY TO THIS THREAD.
If you used this thread to create a texture pack please come back and post a reply in this thread. Your reply will bring this thread back to the front page and make it remain visible to others that would also benefit from this information.
Thanks for sharing your creativity and talents with the Minecraft community! Now, take a break from all that pixel pushing and go play for a little while. You deserve it!
:smile.gif: I will. Today I'm busy with commercial work, but I had to try to put a finger in the dike of all the "How do?" posts before I start Photochopin(tm). Completed mobs by next Friday is my current goal. Armor following right after that!
Now let's say I wish to edit the smoke that comes off of redstone. However, even when I edit the smoke in particles.png, the redstone smoke stays red. The smoke coming off torches does change, though. Can anyone help?
Now let's say I wish to edit the smoke that comes off of redstone. However, even when I edit the smoke in particles.png, the redstone smoke stays red. The smoke coming off torches does change, though. Can anyone help?
All POOFs ( my term ) are the same POOF image, but most are colored via code. There's no way to alter this without changing the code through creating a mod.
bah. I did notice that the color was changed slightly by my editing, maybe some wizardry with negative colors will do the trick? In any case, do you know what file contains the code I must edit? Methinks it is time to try my hand at modding.
Well, I've run into another problem. When I zip up my file and place it into the texturepacks folder, Minecraft doesn't register it as a texture pack, and gives me the gray logo. I'm on a mac, and I assume the reason it does this is because the .zip file I made is compressed. How can I do this without it compressing?
Well, I've run into another problem. When I zip up my file and place it into the texturepacks folder, Minecraft doesn't register it as a texture pack, and gives me the gray logo. I'm on a mac, and I assume the reason it does this is because the .zip file I made is compressed. How can I do this without it compressing?
Select all the files in your texturepack folder ( not the folder itself ) and right click. Choose "Compress ### files". That will produce a file called Archive.zip. Rename that to myAwesomeTexturePack.zip and put it in the texturepack folder.
I'm confused at this but how do people make 128x texture packs?
Do they literally just add 128 different pixels there or do they like enlarge it?
To create a 128 pixel pack you can either generate a file at 2048 x 2048 or resize the 16 pixel textures 8x larger, or download an existing 128 pack to modify or download a template for the terrain.png I have one in my sig image.
Any of these methods will work. For files that you don't have a template for, or that are not in the pack you DL etc just resize your 16px version. I'll modify this to contain files for all resolutions when I'm not crushed by work.
Have these been updated with the new default images from today's update?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Time passes, people move. Like a river’s flow, it never ends. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. Young love will become deep affection. The clear waters surface reflects growth.
— Sheik, Ocarina of Time
Have these been updated with the new default images from today's update?
Nope. In fact that's the first confirmation I've heard that an update happened. I've been working since 7:30 yesterday morning, straight through till now. I'll update and see what's new. I won't likely update these files until I get this job delivered in the morning.
EDIT: Updated the default16pxTexturepack.zip file for the Cake release.
Um...This is just kinda a noobie question I guess.
So I made a few edits to the default textures and pretty much used that as my texture pack. Is there an easy way to get all the new textures (Birch trees, dyes, etc) while keeping my edits? I probably sound lazy but I don't really want to copy/paste each edited block over to the updated terrain.
Edit: Nevermind. I ended up just copying giant chunks of my original textures while trying to avoid overlapping new textures. Silly lazy me. XD
ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY APPLICATIONS
[*:2qoaxmqm]Download the default16pxTexturepack.zip file
CREATING A NEW TEXTURE PACK[*:2qoaxmqm]Download winRAR
[*:2qoaxmqm]Download paint.net
[*:2qoaxmqm]Right click the default16pxTexturepack.zip file.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Choose "Extract to default16pxTexturepack\"
[*:2qoaxmqm]Open the default16pxTexturepack folder
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit any or all of the included files.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit the pack.txt file to contain a short description of your pack. This will appear in the texture selector window.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Save your edited files back into the default16pxTexturepack folder[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit the pack.png to be an image that represents your pack. This will appear in the texture selector window.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Edit the png files in paint.net to create the textures that you desire. Do not alter the file's dimensions.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Rename the default16pxTexturepack folder to whatever you want to call your pack.
ex. MyTexturePack
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select all files in the ( renamed ) MyTexturePack folder.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Choose "Add to Archive"
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select the ZIP radio button in the "Archive Format" area. On the General Tab, Leave everything at the defaults which should be...
[*:2qoaxmqm]Compression method:normal
[*:2qoaxmqm]Confirm the name is "MyTexturePack.zip"[*:2qoaxmqm]Split to volume bytes: NOT SET
[*:2qoaxmqm]Options:NONE TICKED
[*:2qoaxmqm]Update Mode:Add and replace files
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click "OK"
INSTALLING A NEW TEXTURE PACK
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select your "MyTexturePack.zip" file
DISTRIBUTING A NEW TEXTURE PACK[*:2qoaxmqm]Copy it.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Run Minecraft
[*:2qoaxmqm]Login
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click the "Mods and Texture Packs" button
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click the "Open texture pack folder" button.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Paste your "MyTexturePack.zip" file into the "texturepacks" folder.
[*:2qoaxmqm] If you modify certain files which are not currently imported from the texturepack.zip files you must manually install them directly in the minecraft.jar file for them to appear in-game.
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/gui/items.png ( Only the watch texture requires direct install other textures will be imported from the texturepack.zip file. If you modify the watch and want it to appear in-game then you have to directly install the items.png file at minecraft.jar/gui/items.png )
[*:2qoaxmqm]Return to Minecraft[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/misc/dial.png
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/misc/grasscolor.png
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/misc/foliagecolor.png
The following four files are not included in the "defaultTexturepack.zip" file. These are used for custom water and lava when using Xau's MCPatcher to support texture packs > 16 pixels per tile, or to support custom water and lava in a 16 pixel per tile texture pack. You must create these files yourself as their dimensions are variable. See the MCPatcher thread for details on these files.
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_water_flowing.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_water_still.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_lava_flowing.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]/minecraft.jar/custom_lava_still.png,
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select "MyTexturePack.zip" in the list of texture packs.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Click Done.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Play Minecraft with your new texture pack and confirm the textures are as you expected.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Capture screenshots or video displaying your new textures.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Select a host for your texture pack and supporting assets. Suggestions follow.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Dropbox is an excellent, free file host for your texture pack that will allow you to link directly to it from the forums rather than sending people to another site to get it. they allow 10 GB of traffic per day for free accounts. This should be sufficient for your texture pack, but images or video may exceed this cap if your pack becomes popular.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Create a post on minecraftforums.net in the Texture packs sub-forum and/or other minecraft-oriented sites to promote your texture pack.[*:2qoaxmqm]Imgur.com is an excellent, free image hosting site for your screen captures an other images. There are no limits on transfer on imgur.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Youtube is likely the best host for your videos.
Creat a title that includes at least...
[*:2qoaxmqm]Your texture pack's name
[*:2qoaxmqm]Your texture pack's resolution ( 16, 32, 64 or 128 )
[*:2qoaxmqm]Provide a link to the hosted "MyTexturePack.zip" file.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Describe your intention in creating your pack. Your description can greatly influence the perception of your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Check your spelling and grammar. These can affect other's perceptions of you and your pack. Just as importantly, responses dwelling on typos and grammar can derail your thread.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Use images to illustrate the unique qualities your pack displays.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Use the [img] [/img] tags rather than [img] as these will scale your images to fit and allow clicking them to load the full-sized image.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Video is particularly effective at demonstrating your textures in-game.[*:2qoaxmqm]Shoot screen shots in adequate light. If it is barely visible on your screen it may be completely black to others.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Sunrise and sunset provide excellent opportunities for dramatic images.
[*:2qoaxmqm]Include natural and man made objects in your images to best display all the aspects of your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]You may want to Download the Texture Pack Text Track Map and shoot a single image displaying all of the textures in your pack.
[*:2qoaxmqm]You may want to display the terrain.png file and the items.png file for a overview of your pack.
REPLY TO THIS THREAD.
If you used this thread to create a texture pack please come back and post a reply in this thread. Your reply will bring this thread back to the front page and make it remain visible to others that would also benefit from this information.
Thanks for sharing your creativity and talents with the Minecraft community! Now, take a break from all that pixel pushing and go play for a little while. You deserve it!
You just made texture packs understandable to 12 year olds.
:smile.gif: I will. Today I'm busy with commercial work, but I had to try to put a finger in the dike of all the "How do?" posts before I start Photochopin(tm). Completed mobs by next Friday is my current goal. Armor following right after that!
Lol silly Kaonis, I'm 18 and i still didnt get it (only 3 steps i didn't get ;D)
All POOFs ( my term ) are the same POOF image, but most are colored via code. There's no way to alter this without changing the code through creating a mod.
Select all the files in your texturepack folder ( not the folder itself ) and right click. Choose "Compress ### files". That will produce a file called Archive.zip. Rename that to myAwesomeTexturePack.zip and put it in the texturepack folder.
Do they literally just add 128 different pixels there or do they like enlarge it?
It's contexctual. If you select only one file you get "Compress" if you select more than one file you get "Compress (number of selected files) files"
That's the correct item to use.
To create a 128 pixel pack you can either generate a file at 2048 x 2048 or resize the 16 pixel textures 8x larger, or download an existing 128 pack to modify or download a template for the terrain.png I have one in my sig image.
Any of these methods will work. For files that you don't have a template for, or that are not in the pack you DL etc just resize your 16px version. I'll modify this to contain files for all resolutions when I'm not crushed by work.
[*:1065xzi8]Download the default16pxTexturepack.zip file
[*:1065xzi8]Download winRAR
[*:1065xzi8]Download paint.net
Have these been updated with the new default images from today's update?
Time passes, people move. Like a river’s flow, it never ends. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition. Young love will become deep affection. The clear waters surface reflects growth.
— Sheik, Ocarina of Time
Nope. In fact that's the first confirmation I've heard that an update happened. I've been working since 7:30 yesterday morning, straight through till now. I'll update and see what's new. I won't likely update these files until I get this job delivered in the morning.
EDIT: Updated the default16pxTexturepack.zip file for the Cake release.
So I made a few edits to the default textures and pretty much used that as my texture pack. Is there an easy way to get all the new textures (Birch trees, dyes, etc) while keeping my edits? I probably sound lazy but I don't really want to copy/paste each edited block over to the updated terrain.
Edit: Nevermind. I ended up just copying giant chunks of my original textures while trying to avoid overlapping new textures. Silly lazy me. XD