[Oblivion] I Saw the Sign: Making Road Signs

[Arthmoor]

Note: This is a repost from Dwip's old blog that should be preserved for it's usefulness.
The link to the Kingthings Petrock download was the only thing altered, since the original website no longer contains downloads.
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In which I’m going to describe a process to create roadsigns for Oblivion using GIMP and Nifskope, because at least one of you cares about this.

0. Take either one of the 512×128 city sign textures from textures/clutter/signs/ and use the clone tool with a relatively small brush size (circle 5 or 7) to blot out the existing names, being careful to preserve the color of the wood if not the grain. Blotchiness isn’t critical, as most of it will be overwritten anyway.

0a. Or you can use your own base texture, which should be some multiple of 512×128.

0b. Whatever texture you use, make sure you load it WITHOUT mipmaps.

1. Using the text tool, change the options to Kingthings Petrock, size 50, color f7f3de or some shade of yellowish white. Type your text in and align it. You may wish to use an existing road sign texture as a guide.

1a. Repeat this on the other half of the sign, using the flip tool to flip it horizontally.

1b. In the layers thing on the side, use merge down to merge both text layers BUT NOT the main surface layer.

2. In the layers thing on the side, change the mode of the text layer to Difference.

3. In the layers thing on the side, right click, and create a new transparent layer between your new text layer and main surface.

4. On this new layer, using a circle 07 or 05 brush and the black color, carefully outline the text with a slight border, making sure to cover all the area under the text as well. You’ll see it change colors, so it’s obvious.

5. In the layers thing to the side, change the mode of your new layer to Overlay.

6. Right click in the layers thing, and choose Merge Visible Layers.

7. Save as DDS with DXT1 compression and generate mipmaps on.

8. Before closing the window, go to Filters/Maps/Normalmap, and create a normalmap. I used 4 samples and 2.0 scale, you might want something different.

9. Save as DDS, DXT5 compression, generate mipmaps.

Putting it together in Nifskope is left as an exercise to the reader.

[smr1957]

Yup - useful info - copied and saved to my notes!  Thanks, Arthmoor, for posting that.

[Sigurð Stormhand]

If you find your text is too "plastic" you can try running an eraser with 10-20% opacity over the text layers and seeing if that improves things.

An alternative way to create a blank sign:

1. Use the eraser to remove the text on the original sign, so that you have transparent holes.

2. Duplicate the layer.

3. Move the original layer left or right to cover the holes. Don't move it up or down.

4. Use the dodge/burn tools on low opacity (50% or lower) to match the shade of the wood.

5. Use a small eraser/close brush to cover any gaps or smooth out any hard edges.

[Arthmoor]

The above is also completely doable in Paint.NET for GIMP haters like myself

Followed them and was able to produce a good sign for Feldscar, using color E3DCC0 which matches more or less to the lettering on the hi-res sign background I used. Which Dwip kindly blanked out for me. Sigurd then helped restore the old blank one I had uploaded eons ago that had disappeared. That can be found here.

[Nico coiN]

All files can be edited/customized with Photoshop. Enjoy!