Load them all into your graphics program and shrink them all to 256x256 pixels. Then change them to the appropriate file name (remember those little tags on the end for each face) and save them in .tga format. The filenames for the six pictures are as follows:

• image 1: back (bk)
• image 2: right (rt)
• image 3: down (dn)
• image 4: front (ft)
• image 5: left (lf)
• image 6: up (up)

Then things get tricky, converting to 256 colours for the .pcx versions can have…….questionable results. It depends on the colours in the original image and how close they are to colours in the Quake2 palette.

Techniques on how to convert can be found all over the web, I used the one I found in the "tutorials" section of this page: http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~jchin/skins/skins.htm.

This site describes both Paintshop and Photoshop conversion techniques for skins, but works great for skies as well. It gets around the differences that Photoshop and Quake2 have for the pcx format nicely.

However, after conversion some serious touching up might be needed to get the most out of the format (Photoshop dithering can be really bad, depending on the sky. Experiment a bit).

For an example check out the env map from the second of the awesome Falhaven ctf maps by Lance S. Winkel (here http://www.planetquake.com/dl/dl.asp?captured/ctf2review/falhavn2.zip). The difference between the gl and sofware versions is vast, but necessary to keep the effect.

Anyway, by now you should have a sky to try out on your map. For more map specific skies the orientation might have to be changed, just rotate the file names of the side images and rotate the actual up and down images to suit ( a tip: the front -ft- image of the sky always joins to the right side of the up and down images). Or better yet, find out which way the sky sits in the map and build the sky to suit it.

Good Luck! And mail me with any major questions (or better ways to do it).

Murray Christian ([PnC]Muzman ) [email protected]

Some shots of the sky I did for the forthcoming Action Q2 map "The Crackdown" by Wanderer.

(Click image for full-size image - 45KB)

(Click image for full-size image - 45KB)

For more about the Bryce series and how to get the most out of them visit some of these sites:

The makers of Bryce 3D - http://www.metacreations.com

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