Minecraft Forums

Well I did a tiny bit more to take a break from studying for exams, here's what I have now:



Won't be doing any more for the contest methinks!

Decided to try this out as I was planning on doing some more experimentation with a palette and higher res, pretty tricky palette to work with too - especially for stone colours. I'll finish up the last few required textures in just a little bit but here's what I have so far:



EDIT: Here's 10!

Will probably still make a few more textures though, feeling in the mood for more.

Never thought the day would come, but I finished up my horses, donkeys, saddle, saddlebags and all.

Now I just need to finish the horse armour.... >.>

Here are some awkward screens, really hard to get pictures of horses. Now I'm off to get started on horse armour.







EDIT: I'll try soften those small white specks as an overlay actually, they're very sharp and stand out a bit too much.

CTM: A guide
A guide to help you understand
how to implement CTM features
into your resource pack!

Contents

Getting It
Let's Start!
How CTM Works
Methods
Tiles
Connection Type
Faces
Metadata
Biome and Height
Weights
Symmetry
Layered CTM
Classic CTM
Horizontal CTM
Vertical CTM
Horizontal+Vertical and Vertical+Horizontal CTM
Random CTM
Repeat CTM
Fixed CTM

About this Guide

If you have delved into the art of texturepack making, you may have heard the word CTM. 'What is this strange word?', you may ask. This is, in fact, not a word but an acronym of the phrase, Connected Textures Mod.

Originally, this mod made the glass, chests and bookshelves seamless. Texturepack functionality was added later for other blocks and other features such as randomised, repeated and fixed textures were made available later by MCPatcher.

This guide aims to detail how one uses CTM in a simple and concise fashion. If you find any errors, please do not hesitate to tell me.

There is a dual-colour system in this guide.

● text means it is important or required. Always read these parts.
● text means it is a helpful tip or something which is optional. You can skip over these if you want.

Getting It

How do I get this mod? You may find that the thread for it lists 1.2.5 as the latest version. But, never fear, this mod is bundled along with MCPatcher and Optifine. We will be covering the MCPatcher version in this thread.

You can get MCPatcher here:
http://www.minecraft.../topic/1496369-

Follow the instructions on the page to download it and install the mod to your Minecraft.

Let's Start!

To start, we are going to assume you already have finished your default textures. Make sure your Resource Pack's file structure is like this:

MyTexturePack/assets/minecraft/textures/blocks/dirt.png

For a full file structure, click here.

Now, go to the /minecraft folder and create a new folder named mcpatcher like so:





Click on your newly created mcpatcher folder and create another folder called ctm. This is where all of our CTM is going to go.

That's it! Now, for the fun part...

How CTM Works

CTM is made by having textures in a folder in the ctm folder. This folder can be named anything and is called in this guide, the base folder. It is advised, however, to name your base folder based on its contents so you can easily find them.

~/minecraft/mcpatcher/ctm/dirtblock/

and

~/minecraft/mcpatcher/ctm/stupidbrownblock/

both work however the first one is more descriptive and may be better in the long run.
You can put multiple block textures inside a single base folder however it may be better to separate blocks into different materials.

Your textures can be named anything however they must be 16px for default resolution packs, 32px for 32px packs and so on. In this guide, textures will be named 0.png, 1.png et cetera however they can be named however you like in your pack. Thus, 0.png and cakeTop.png will both work.

The thing which makes it all tick is a file called blockID.properties located inside the base folder. This file is named depending on which block the CTM code inside should modify.

The structure of the name is generally as follows.

block<block ID>.properties

You only have to modify the block ID part. A list of block IDs can be found here. If you need two CTM methods on the same block, simply append a or b or c et cetera to the end of the block ID like so:

block3a.properties 

or

block15b.properties

To be honest, you can name your properties file anything however if so, you require a matchBlocks or matchTiles rule inside as shown below:

matchBlocks=<block IDs>

or

matchTiles=<tile names>

If using multiple block IDs or names, they should be separated by spaces.

To refer to a tile in vanilla MC, use the name of the texture in texture/blocks.
To refer to a tile in a mod, use the name of the texture in the mod's texture folder.
Tiles can also refer to tiles used in other .properties files. More information is located here.

By default, the default blockID.properties will load first, then the rest in alphabetical.
The weight rule tells CTM which .properties file to load first.

To use it, put this in your file:

weight=<weight>

The highest weight is loaded first. In the event of a tie, the file names are looked at next.
Make sure you write weight, not weights.

weight is given precedent over matchTiles is given precedent over matchBlocks which is given precedent over the filename of the .properties file.

Thus, a block65.properties with matchBlocks=43 will apply to the block with the ID of 43, not the block with the ID of 65.


Methods
There are multiple methods which CTM uses to allow you to manipulate the textures of blocks in different ways.

These methods should be declared at the top of your blockID.properties file as shown below:

method=<method>

There are 9 CTM methods available:

ctm
horizontal
vertical
horizontal+vertical
vertical+horizontal
top
random
repeat
fixed

The function of these methods is explained below in greater detail.

Tiles
blockID.properties also requires you to define which textures to use since there can be a varying number of textures in a single base folder.

To specify which textures, or tiles, to use, add this below your method.

tiles=<list of tiles>

Essentially, you are specifying which textures to use for the CTM.

You can specify tiles in multiple ways.

tiles=0 1 2 3

tells CTM to use tiles 0.png, 1.png, 2.png and 3.png.

tiles=0-3

also tells CTM to use tiles 0.png, 1.png, 2.png and 3.png.

You can also specify tiles with custom names:

tiles=dirt1.png dirt_with_fossil.png crumbly_dirt

This will use dirt1.png, dirt_with_fossil.png and crumbly_dirt.png.

The .png suffix is not required.

Another way of specifying tiles is by using the full path.

tiles=/mcpatcher/ctm/dirt/green_alien_dirt.png ~/ctm/dirt/mossy_dirt.png

Different ways to specifying tiles can be mixed and matched. The following works:

tiles=/mcpatcher/ctm/dirt/green_alien_dirt.png mossdirt 0 1

This will use /mcpatcher/ctm/dirt/green_alien_dirt.png, mossdirt.png, 0.png and 1.png.

For all specification methods other than full path, the texture file must be in the same directory as the blockID.properties file.

For all specification methods other than full path, the .png suffix is not required.

Connection Type
For methods which connect textures such as Classic CTM and Horizontal CTM, this optional rule specifies how the game should connect textures.

To use it, add this to your blockID.properties.

connect=<connection type>

There are three kinds of connection:

block
tile
material

block connections connect if the block ID is the same as the block ID of its neighbour.
This is the default connection.
tile connections connect if the tile is the same as the tile of its neighbour.
material connections connect if the material of its neighbour is the same as its own.

Faces
This rule limits the CTM in a particular blockID.properties to a specific face or faces.

To use it, add this to your blockID.properties.

faces=<list of faces>

Valid faces are listed below:

bottom
top
north
south
east
west
sides
all

The bottom face is the bottom face, -y.
The top face is the top face, +y.
The north face is -z.
The south face is +z.
The east face is +x
The west face is -x.
sides is the north, south, east and west faces.
all is all faces.

Metadata
Another thing you can do is limit the CTM to a specific metadata. If you do not know what metadata is, it is essentially extra data in a block which tells it extra information like what colour it is, direction or what type of wood.

To do this, add this in your blockID.properties file:

metadata=<metadata>

The metadata is specified in the same fashion as tiles, utilising spaces, hyphens or a mix of both.

Biome and Height
This rule limits the CTM to a specific biome and/or height. This can be useful by allowing different types of stone at different levels and allowing snow covered flowers in taigas and mossy planks in swamps.

To use it, add this in your blockID.properties file:

biomes=<List of biome names>

To use height restrictions, add this to your blockID.properties:

minHeight=<minimum height>
maxHeight=<maximum height

The min height is the lower y coordinate you wish your block to start appearing at. The maxHeight is the upper boundary of where you wish to your texture to start appearing.

Weights
Did you mean weight which tells CTM which properties file to load first?

No, no, weight is not the obesity of a texture. It is how common it is. It is only used with the random method and specifies how common a specific texture should be.

To use weight, add this in your blockID.properties.

weights=5 2 7 2 9

Make sure you write weights, not weight.

The weights are linked to your tiles. The first weight corresponds to the first tile, the second weight the second tile and so on.

Weights do not have to add up to anything and the higher the weight is, the more common it will be.
There is no maximum weight.

tile=0 1
weights=20 1

This will give 20 0.pngs to every one 1.png.

Symmetry
Symmetry is another random method only rule. Add this to the blockID.properties to use it.

symmetry=<symmetry type>

There are three kinds of symmetry:

none
opposite
all

If you choose none symmetry, all sides of the block will be textured independently. This does not mean they cannot be the same, it merely means they will be textured completely randomly.
This is the default symmetry.
In opposite symmetry, opposing sides will have the same texture but each pair can have different textures.
In all symmetry, all sides will have the same texture.
This is good for textures which change colour or design.

Layered CTM
A CTM rule can also act as the source for another CTM rule. You can use this to make randomised bookshelves that also have horizontal CTM.

Simply use the matchTiles rule to target the specific texture the horizontal CTM uses to apply random textures.

An example is shown below:

# The main bookshelf properties file
block47.properties:
method=horizontal
tiles=0-3
# For every tile you want to randomise, make a new properties file.
block47a.properties
matchTiles=0.png
method=random
tiles=4 5 6
block47b.properties
matchTiles=0.png
method=random
tiles=4 5 6
block47c.properties
matchTiles=1.png
method=random
tiles=7-9
block47d.properties
matchTiles=2.png
method=random
tiles=10 11-13

As you can see, we can specify random textures for each of the horizontal CTM tiles, thereby making randomised horizontal CTM.

Classic CTM
This is the CTM method commonly used for glass and mineral blocks. It uses the method, ctm as shown below.

method=ctm

Your texture should be based on this template*.



The numbers refer to the filename of the image as we discussed above. So, for this method, a single block would be 0.png, a block connecting to the right would be 1.png and so on.
You must create individual files! Tilesheets do not work.

So, if we were making glass classic CTM, our block20.properties would have:

method=ctm
tiles=0-46

Remember
You can call the texture files anything however for connecting CTM, it is recommended to use numbers, else your blockID.properties file may become bloated like so:

method=ctm
tiles=glassCTM1.png glassCTM2.png glassCTM3.png [...]

Optional
Specify whether to show seams on inner edge when connecting to adjacent blocks.

innerSeams=false

* template is by Kahr

Horizontal CTM
Another form of CTM is horizontal CTM. This CTM connects only to the left and right; never up or down.
The method is:

method=horizontal

Use the template below to help you when making your textures for horizontal CTM*.



As always, 0 is 0.png, 1 is 1.png etc. or whatever your naming system uses and should be located in your base folder.
You must create individual files! Tilesheets do not work.

For a horizontally connecting bookshelf, block47.properties would contain:

method=horizontal
tiles=0-3

Possible Uses
Seamless Bookshelves
Sandstone
Larger Logs
Wooden Plank ends
* template is by Kahr

Vertical CTM
When there is horizontal CTM, there is vertical CTM. This CTM works similarly to horizontal CTM but only connects up and down, never left or right.

The method used is vertical like below:

method=vertical

Use the template below to help you:



You must create individual files! Tilesheets do not work.

For a vertically connecting log, block17.properties would contain:

method=vertical
tiles=0-3

Possible Uses
Pillar slabs
Logs
Sugar Cane tops
* template is by Kahr

Horizontal+Vertical and Vertical+Horizontal CTM
This CTM method is quite special. What it does is, in the case of Horizontal+Vertical, is check if any blocks are eligible for horizontal CTM. It applies it then checks if any blocks which do not already have CTM can receive vertical CTM. Vertical+Horizontal is the opposite.

The methods used are:

method=h+v

for horizontal+vertical CTM
and

method=v+h

for vertical+horizontal CTM.

Use the top template below for Horizontal+Vertical CTM and the bottom one for Vertical+Horizontal CTM



You must create individual files! Tilesheets do not work.

For example, a chiseled sandstone texture wants vertical+horizontal CTM to show hieroglyphics. To do this, in your block24.properties, write:

method=v+h
tiles=0-6
metadata=1

Possible Uses
Hieroglyphic Sandstone
Bookshelf display cabinets

Random CTM
By far the most popular, this method allows one to create multiple textures which are randomly chosen when a block is textured by the renderer.

The method used is:

method=random

This method requires multiple single textures which it then randomises. When specifying tiles, you can choose any combination of tiles.

method=random
tiles=4 viney_grass 6-8

uses the tiles 4.png, viney_grass.png, 6.png, 7.png and 8.png.

You must create individual files! Tilesheets do not work.

Optional
Another feature of this method is the weights rule. Information can be found here.
Yet another feature is the symmetry rule. Information can be found here.

For example, to make a rare knotted wood texture for oak logs, put the following into your block17.properties.

method=random
tiles=0 0 0 1
weights=10 10 10 1
faces=sides
metadata=0 4 8 12

0.png is my standard oak texture and 1.png my rare knotted log texture.

For a rare dinosaur fossil in my stone which already has random textures put this in block1.properties:

method=random
tiles=0 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5
weights=10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1
faces=all

Tiles 0 to 4 are my normal variants and tile 5 my special dinosaur texture.

Possible Uses
This method has an absurd amount of uses. Some common uses are:
Random Tall grass
Flowers
Ore designs
Grass textures
Stone texture
Dirt pattern

Repeating Textures
This method allows you to plaster a larger texture onto a flat wall of blocks, thereby helping to create better tiling. It essentially is a giant stamp tool, stamping large paintings on blocks.

Here is how to make it.

Starting with the method:

method=repeat

Then, add the width of the repeating texture in blocks:

method=repeat
width=5

Then add the height of the repeating texture in blocks:

method=repeat
width=5
height=3

Lastly, define the tiles to use.

method=repeat
width=5
height=3
tiles=0-14

CTM will do the rest.

If your image you wish to repeat is 3 blocks wide and 2 blocks tall, then the top three textures would be 0.png, 1.png and 2.png and the bottom three 3.png, 4.png and 5.png, if using this tile naming system.

You must create individual files! Tilesheets do not work.

Your blockID.properties would look like this:

method=repeat
width=3
height=2
tiles=0-5

Optional
This method also supports limited symmetry. Information can be found here.
Keep in mind symmetry=all does not work.


Possible Uses
Large carpet rugs
Grass patterns
Wool patterns
Leaf patterns
Walls of bookshelves with stepladdersand trinkets

Fixed Textures
This method allows you to essentially replace a specific texture with your own. This is especially usefor for deriviative textures that you wish to make unique.

Here is how to make it.

Starting with the method:

method=fixed

Then specify the single tile.

method=fixed
tiles=0

Done! Make sure you have specified which block to target too. Often, one needs to use the faces and metadata options too.


If you wished to have a custom crafting table bottom, your blockID.properties would look like this:

method=fixed
faces=bottom
tiles=0

Possible Uses
Fixing crafting table bottoms,
Custom pressure plates
Custom cuttons
Custom stair textures

The new snapshot is released guys!

Anyway, pots were horrible, never want to make them again... )