How to Upload Custom Images to Ark

Uploading your custom paints

2018, April 5th
v ane.0

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

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Awarding

The application can be found here, it uses vesion 4.5 of the microsoft .Net framework.

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

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

Dinosaur Templates here

8BitPineApple: "Please annotation, this is a work in progress. I volition continue to edit and improve the software
If you like the programme please requite a thumbs up , if not I'thou certain you lot will in later on updates :D"

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Multi-Canvas Example

• Load an image in the programme (For dinosaurs you need to ready an image, for apartment surfaces yous can use any picture you want. But I exercise reccomend using the correct aspect ratio for what you lot are painting on , due east.g. ii:one for billboard, i:ane for the new painting canvas, tall images for flags, etc)

• Select the object you want the paint for (Billboard, Flag, Modest Sign, Dino, Painting canvas, Human)
  -- For options that aren't listed use Flag ,Billboard or Dino.

• Arrange epitome to brand information technology look nicer

• Remove Backround (If not png to begin with),

• Save Image

You tin also Open up Pnt files to relieve to PNG's for further editing (Just click open and select pnt from the filetype dropdown carte, open up your file, press save and choose png from the drib downwardly)

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Guide for multi canvas

Processing
To process the image select multicanvas from the driblet downwardly and change the number of canvas you desire to paint on in the bottom right. I chose x by 4.

Saving
Salve with any file name y'all desire, I chose dragon. Outputted files are then visible in game every bit dragon0-0 , dragon1-0, dragon2-0 .... dragon9-three. The outset number being the 10 position, the second existence the y position for each canvas. 0,0 being top left.

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Image Adjustments

Adjust prototype to make information technology look nicer:
In that location are a few options for adjusting the paradigm. You should have a play with dissimilar "dither" values and modes to meet what is best for your image. For cartoon images yous tin get abroad with having it set to 0 and sometimes get amend results. Photographs on the other mitt tend to demand higher values. I detect the commencement Dither mode tends to be all-time merely somtimes the other two tin work out better.

Loftier dither

No dither

High dither

No dither

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Limit Color Pallete further

Ticking and Unticking colours in the bottom right will add/remove these dyes from the pallete.
Example, Blackness and white simply:

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Background Removal

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

Earlier clicking white space:

After clicking white space:

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Saving

For now you have to navigate to your steam\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings directory. If you can't encounter a MyPaintings folder y'all can either brand the folder yourself or save a painting in the game and then that information technology makes the directory. I reccommend making a shortcut to this folder somewhere nicer (e.grand. desktop)

The file name has to be in the form paintingname_objectname, if you want to utilize multiple images with the aforementioned name yous need a number at the finish for each file, eastward.g. name_Sign_Large_Metal_C
name_Sign_Large_Metal_C_1
name_Sign_Large_Metal_C_2

Case names:
Wooden Billboard -- (Name)_Sign_Large_Wood_C
Metal Billboard -- (Name)_Sign_Large_Metal_C
Single Flag -- (Name)_Flag_SM_Single_C
Multi Panel Flag -- (Proper name)_Flag_SM_C
Wall Canvass -- (Proper name)_Sign_PaintingCanvas_C

If yous are painting for Multiple painting canvas you should not add _Sign_PaintingCanvas_C to your file name like you usually would

You can use the png template names as a reference when saving. Alternatively you tin can paint a single pixel on a Dino/Billboard/Flag/Whatever and save it in game every bit "MyPainting" and overwrite the new file MyPainting_Otherstuff_C.pnt when saving in my program to assure the name is correct.

My files when I was making lots of metal billboard paintings

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Adding Images to Dino'due south with Pigment .Internet

For Dino's you lot demand to prepare an prototype beforehand. for paradigm editing Pigment .Net is a pretty good alternative to photoshop, http://www.getpaint.net/index.html.

If you want to add together an paradigm to a dino using Paint .Net you can follow these steps:
Open up the Dino template
If the dino in the template looks a lilliputian "squashed" y'all can
Goto "Prototype" at the top past file, edit, view, etc. And click resize
Untick maintain attribute ratio and increase the width (e.one thousand. for a bronto I had to double the width to get the template looking nearly right.
Paste in the image and place it where yous want on the dino
Turn off the template in the bottom right (Or recolour information technology if you want to make the balance of the dino painted a sure colour)
Relieve this image and use my program to convert to pnt for loading in Ark.
I'd recomend but changing the first part of the name, e.g. Argent_Argent_Character_BP_C could be saved as MyArgentPaint_Argent_Character_BP_C. This mode when you save in my program the name should already be correct.

You lot can also follow these steps for adding images to flags / billboards etc if you lot want to better line up your images.

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Dino's and Humans

In order to make suitable paints for dinosaurs/humans you need to have some practice making / editing images. (Please see "Edited Template Examples" for examples of the kind of pictures you need to brand). Photoshop is probabily the ultimate tool, simply if you are unfamiliar with photoshop simpler tools such as Pigment . Net are pretty proficient -- can be downloaded here

Currently the ark Pnt file uses 256x256 resolutions for Dino's and 512x512 for player characters. The templates evidence what a fully painted Dino ends up like in the paint file. Since all the paint files use 256x256 resolution for dinos and dino'south more often than not arn't square, I'd recommend resizing the template so that the Dino isn't "squashed" to assistance preclude any unwanted stretching. If you are using photoshop one "advanced" tip would be to modify the pixel aspect ratio instead of resizing the template.

Once you've made an paradigm you like, load it in my programme and save the pnt in your steam\mutual\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings binder with the appropriate name. I've named all of the png templates with the names you should call your pnt files e.g. name_Argent_Character_BP_C

To brand life easier it is best to but salve your edited template simply adjusting the start feild earlier the _ in the file name, e.g. Argent_Argent_Character_BP_C may be saved as MyArgentPaintingName_Argent_Character_BP_C. This way when you load your picture in my program for converting to an Ark PNT you'll already have the correct file name when saving.

If there is a template missing yous can make your ain (See Making your own templates in the guide.)

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Edited Template Examples

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

Template Usage (Correct side without template showing is what y'all would load in plan)
In photoshop I worked with the template epitome as the bottom layer and added and rescaled images to parts of the graphic symbol I wanted. E.thousand. Hearts that get effectually the diamond doodad we have on our left arms. Then removed the template for the version of the image to load in the plan

Note: For big dinosaurs 256x256 resolution is very low, and then it's hard to become whatsoever real detail on them. I'd reccomend just going for interesting colour patterns

Example Trex skin by me

Yankee Doodle Dullard past TheJollyLlama875:

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

For people who merely want to use the example skins and havn't read the remainder of the guide
Pigment files can be added direct in steam\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\MyPaintings

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Making your own 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. Y'all can make your ain by painting on a dino / object in game, save information technology in game and load the pnt file in my program. After this you lot can save it is a png. When painting the dino / object you can either paint the whole thing or possibly just a rectangle where y'all program on adding an epitome.

Example:

1. I fully painted an argent in game and saved it in game with the name "argent"
   

2. I loaded the pnt file with my program ( argent_Argent_Character.... pnt)
   

3. Pressed Save
   

4. Used the dropdown to save as PNG in my desired location.
   

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FAQ

1. "Loading painting in game failed/freezes, how tin I set this"
   This is a problem that occurs for some players when loading any painting (not merely those from my Programme). Allot of people on the forums and reddit have told me that standing as close to the painting every bit you tin earlier loading helps to fix this and if it is a dino to whistle it to follow. I've not tried it myself though, since for me when loading paintings the game is a little scrap laggy but always finishes.

2. "I cannot see my saved painting in game"
   If you have saved a file merely cannot see information technology 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, e.one thousand. girlPower_PlayerPawnTest_Female_C.pnt , will be visible with the name "GirlPower" when loading from a female person character in game. The easiest way to go the file names is to save a painting in game, even if it is just of a single dot on a dino/sign/billboard, then supervene upon that painting when yous save a file on my program. Alternatively if you've downloaded my programme with templates, all of the templates are saved with the correct file names so yous can apply those every bit reference.

3. "I cannot find my Ark painting/install
   If you are having trouble finding your Ark install directory you can bring up steam, discover "Ark: Survival Evolved" , Correct click backdrop, at the elevation in the bar at that place is "Local files", then a button for "Browse local files". From here you lot tin can find the paintings folder inside -- Shootergame, Saved, MyPaintings, if there is no "MyPaintings" folder you can either make i or relieve a painting in game after using the paintbrush then that the game makes 1 for yous.

4. "Will you be making a release for MAC Bone"
   Currently in that location are no plans for making a mac bone version. All of my electric current code for the UI and loading / saving paintings uses windows classes. So porting the program is almost the aforementioned as re-writing allot of it.

5. "Your program crashes when I do Ten"
   Then don't practise Ten! ... just kidding, delight report anything in the comment department of this guide and I'll try to make a fix whenever needed.

6. "Can I use this on multiplayer"
   Yes, you can use my program to make paints for loading into whatever multiplayer servers.

7. Dyes practice not show up very well on my dino / graphic symbol.
   Dyes right now are a lilliputian scrap too transparent, dyes volition show upwards allot improve on darker dino's / player models. In ARK Digest 27 Q&A somone asked "Will the blackness and white dyes go updated to announced more visible when painting dinos and people?" , with the responce "Yup! We're working on it ;)". And so fingers crossed dyes volition look destine nicer in a later on patch

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For better results making new images

Yous may use this image every bit a reference for colours y'all can use:

Photoshop users may wish to use this colour table: Click here
(Easiest usage, in photoshop - file, save for spider web, load colour tabular array on the right side of the window)

Also, if your pc is skilful enough you tin can have my program, photoshop and ark loaded at the aforementioned time. On ark in single thespian use the commands -- "Giveitemnum 38" to give yourself a paintbrush, "give colours 20" to give yourself xx of every dye, then occassionally tab betwixt photoshop, my programme and ark and exam your warpaint. Testing

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Source: https://supremegaming.gg/forums/topic/28/uploading-your-custom-paints

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