How To Add Paint Templates To Ark

Weaver Housee82 · Sunday, 17 April 2022

Uploading your custom paints

2018, April 5th
v one.0

With cheers to the original poster; "8BitPineApple" I am blatantly copying his post hither on our forums.
Original source

Application

The application can be constitute here, it uses vesion 4.5 of the microsoft .NET framework.

Converter with Templates Zip -- Click here
Alternate URL -- Click here

For browsing private files (By vesions, Dino Templates, Paint examples),
I am keeping all my work in my dropbox here

Dinosaur Templates hither

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8BitPineApple: "Please note, this is a work in progress. I will continue to edit and improve the software
If you like the program please requite a thumbs up , if non I'1000 sure yous volition in later updates :D"

Multi-Canvas Example

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Load an prototype in the program (For dinosaurs you need to ready an image, for flat surfaces you can use any moving-picture show you desire. But I do reccomend using the correct attribute ratio for what y'all are painting on , eastward.1000. 2:i for billboard, 1:1 for the new painting canvas, alpine images for flags, etc)
Select the object you desire the paint for (Billboard, Flag, Minor Sign, Dino, Painting canvas, Human)
-- For options that aren't listed use Flag ,Billboard or Dino.
Adjust image to make it await nicer
Remove Backround (If not png to begin with),
Save Image

You can too Open Pnt files to save to PNG's for further editing (Only click open up and select pnt from the filetype dropdown carte, open up your file, press save and cull png from the drop down)

Guide for multi canvas

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Processing
To process the epitome select multicanvas from the drop down and alter the number of canvas you want to paint on in the bottom right. I chose 10 by 4.

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Saving
Salvage with whatever file name you want, I chose dragon. Outputted files are then visible in game equally dragon0-0 , dragon1-0, dragon2-0 .... dragon9-3. The first number being the 10 position, the second beingness the y position for each sheet. 0,0 being top left.

Paradigm Adjustments

Arrange paradigm to make it look nicer:
There are a few options for adjusting the image. You should accept a play with different "dither" values and modes to run into what is best for your epitome. For cartoon images you can get away with having information technology set up to 0 and sometimes become better results. Photographs on the other paw tend to need higher values. I discover the first Dither manner tends to be all-time but somtimes the other ii can work out better.

Loftier dither
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No dither
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Loftier dither
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No dither
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Limit Colour Pallete further

Ticking and Unticking colours in the lesser right will add/remove these dyes from the pallete.
Instance, Black and white only:

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Background Removal

Left clicking on areas of the image in the "Image preview" to the left, the pixels are made fully transparent. Works a bit like the magic wand tool in photoshop. Set the tolerance and click on unwanted pixels

Before clicking white infinite:
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Afterwards clicking white space:
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Saving

For at present you have to navigate to your steam\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings directory. If yous tin can't see a MyPaintings folder y'all can either make the folder yourself or save a painting in the game and so that it makes the directory. I reccommend making a shortcut to this folder somewhere nicer (e.g. desktop)

The file name has to be in the form paintingname_objectname, if you want to use multiple images with the same proper name you need a number at the stop for each file, e.g. name_Sign_Large_Metal_C
name_Sign_Large_Metal_C_1
name_Sign_Large_Metal_C_2

Example names:
Wooden Billboard -- (Name)_Sign_Large_Wood_C
Metal Billboard -- (Proper noun)_Sign_Large_Metal_C
Unmarried Flag -- (Name)_Flag_SM_Single_C
Multi Panel Flag -- (Name)_Flag_SM_C
Wall Canvas -- (Proper name)_Sign_PaintingCanvas_C

If you lot are painting for Multiple painting canvas you should not add _Sign_PaintingCanvas_C to your file proper noun like you usually would

You can use the png template names as a reference when saving. Alternatively you lot can paint a single pixel on a Dino/Billboard/Flag/Whatsoever and salve it in game every bit "MyPainting" and overwrite the new file MyPainting_Otherstuff_C.pnt when saving in my programme to assure the proper noun is correct.

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My files when I was making lots of metal billboard paintings

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Adding Images to Dino's with Paint .Net

For Dino's you demand to prepare an image beforehand. for image editing Pigment .Net is a pretty adept alternative to photoshop, http://world wide web.getpaint.net/index.html.

If you lot want to add an prototype to a dino using Paint .Internet you can follow these steps:
Open the Dino template
If the dino in the template looks a trivial "squashed" yous can
Goto "Epitome" at the top past file, edit, view, etc. And click resize
Untick maintain attribute ratio and increase the width (e.k. for a bronto I had to double the width to go the template looking nigh right.
Paste in the image and place it where you want on the dino
Plough off the template in the bottom right (Or recolour information technology if you want to make the residue of the dino painted a certain colour)
Save this image and use my plan to convert to pnt for loading in Ark.
I'd recomend only changing the get-go part of the name, e.chiliad. Argent_Argent_Character_BP_C could exist saved every bit MyArgentPaint_Argent_Character_BP_C. This mode when you save in my program the name should already be correct.

Yous tin also follow these steps for calculation images to flags / billboards etc if yous want to better line up your images.

Dino's and Humans

In gild to make suitable paints for dinosaurs/humans you need to have some practice making / editing images. (Please run across "Edited Template Examples" for examples of the kind of pictures yous demand to make). Photoshop is probabily the ultimate tool, but if yous are unfamiliar with photoshop simpler tools such as Pigment . Internet are pretty good -- tin can be downloaded here

Currently the ark Pnt file uses 256x256 resolutions for Dino'due south and 512x512 for player characters. The templates show what a fully painted Dino ends upwardly like in the paint file. Since all the paint files use 256x256 resolution for dinos and dino's generally arn't square, I'd recommend resizing the template so that the Dino isn't "squashed" to help prevent whatsoever unwanted stretching. If you are using photoshop one "advanced" tip would be to modify the pixel attribute ratio instead of resizing the template.

Once you've fabricated an image y'all like, load it in my program and save the pnt in your steam\mutual\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings folder with the advisable name. I've named all of the png templates with the names you should call your pnt files east.g. name_Argent_Character_BP_C

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To make life easier information technology is best to just relieve your edited template only adjusting the offset feild earlier the _ in the file name, e.thousand. Argent_Argent_Character_BP_C may exist saved as MyArgentPaintingName_Argent_Character_BP_C. This way when yous load your picture in my program for converting to an Ark PNT you'll already have the correct file proper name when saving.

If in that location is a template missing you can brand your own (See Making your own templates in the guide.)

Edited Template Examples

Here are some examples of edited templates I take made using photoshop. If you want to make your own I'd reccomend Gimp as a free culling to photoshop

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Template Usage (Right side without template showing is what yous would load in program)
In photoshop I worked with the template image equally the lesser layer and added and rescaled images to parts of the character I wanted. E.k. Hearts that go effectually the diamond doodad we have on our left arms. Then removed the template for the version of the image to load in the program

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Note: For big dinosaurs 256x256 resolution is very low, so information technology'due south hard to get whatever existent particular on them. I'd reccomend just going for interesting colour patterns

Case Trex skin by me

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Yankee Doodle Dodo by TheJollyLlama875:

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If you are looking for more prepare done Dino warpaints I'd recommend the website ArkPaint and https://world wide web.reddit.com/r/ARKWarPaint/

For people who just want to utilize the case skins and havn't read the rest of the guide
Pigment files can be added direct in steam\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings

Making your ain templates

If there is a template missing (If a new dino is added and I've not gotten around to adding the template -- Dino templates last updated on added 20/06/2016. You can brand your own by painting on a dino / object in game, relieve it in game and load the pnt file in my plan. Later this you can relieve it is a png. When painting the dino / object you tin can either paint the whole thing or perhaps only a rectangle where you programme on adding an image.

Example:

I fully painted an argent in game and saved it in game with the name "silvery"
I loaded the pnt file with my program ( argent_Argent_Character.... pnt)
Pressed Save
Used the dropdown to save every bit PNG in my desired location.

FAQ

"Loading painting in game failed/freezes, how can I fix this"
This is a problem that occurs for some players when loading whatsoever painting (not merely those from my Plan). Destine of people on the forums and reddit have told me that standing as close to the painting every bit you can before loading helps to fix this and if it is a dino to whistle it to follow. I've non tried it myself though, since for me when loading paintings the game is a fiddling fleck laggy but always finishes.
"I cannot see my saved painting in game"
If you have saved a file but cannot see it listed in game then the name you lot called your file isn't quite right. The object_name for your file has to be correct, eastward.chiliad. girlPower_PlayerPawnTest_Female_C.pnt , will be visible with the proper noun "GirlPower" when loading from a female character in game. The easiest way to get the file names is to save a painting in game, even if it is but of a unmarried dot on a dino/sign/billboard, and then supervene upon that painting when you save a file on my program. Alternatively if you've downloaded my program with templates, all of the templates are saved with the correct file names and so you can apply those as reference.
"I cannot find my Ark painting/install
If yous are having problem finding your Ark install directory you can bring upwardly steam, discover "Ark: Survival Evolved" , Correct click backdrop, at the top in the bar at that place is "Local files", then a button for "Browse local files". From here you can detect the paintings folder within -- Shootergame, Saved, MyPaintings, if at that place is no "MyPaintings" folder yous can either make one or salve a painting in game subsequently using the paintbrush and then that the game makes one for you.
"Will you be making a release for MAC OS"
Currently there are no plans for making a mac os version. All of my current code for the UI and loading / saving paintings uses windows classes. And so porting the program is almost the same every bit re-writing allot of it.
"Your program crashes when I practise X"
Then don't do X! ... just kidding, please report anything in the comment department of this guide and I'll try to make a prepare whenever needed.
"Can I apply this on multiplayer"
Yeah, you tin can employ my program to make paints for loading into whatever multiplayer servers.
Dyes practice not show up very well on my dino / graphic symbol.
Dyes correct now are a piffling bit too transparent, dyes will show upwardly allot better on darker dino's / player models. In ARK Digest 27 Q&A somone asked "Will the black and white dyes get updated to appear more visible when painting dinos and people?" , with the responce "Yup! We're working on information technology ;)". So fingers crossed dyes will await allot nicer in a afterward patch

For better results making new images

You may employ this image as a reference for colours you can use: alt text

Photoshop users may wish to apply this colour table: Click hither
(Easiest usage, in photoshop - file, salve for spider web, load colour table on the right side of the window)

Also, if your pc is adept enough you can have my programme, photoshop and ark loaded at the aforementioned time. On ark in single player use the commands -- "Giveitemnum 38" to requite yourself a paintbrush, "give colours xx" to give yourself xx of every dye, and so occassionally tab betwixt photoshop, my program and ark and test your warpaint. Testing