Making a Rug without Rug-O-Matic

Inside Custom Content (CC)

Making a rug isn't that hard; however, it is time consuming. One thing that I will probably repeat to you many times is that I always create my own zooms. This is why my objects are clear in every zoom and I rarely have any zoom problems.

Here is a link to a medium rug tutorial for download. This tutorial is a step-by-step for Adobe Photoshop. I have the large one as well, but need to test it as it may need a slight adjustment.

With these templates making a rug is a piece of cake.

Medium Rug

Step 1. Select a rug in a rectagled shape.

Step 2. Size the rug to about 198x140

Step 3. Cut and paste the rug into the med-rug_large-front

Step 4. Use the Distort tool (Edit - Transform - Distort) in Adobe Photoshop to transform the rug. Match up the corner to corner.

Step 5. Make a copy to save for the smaller sizes

Step 6. With anti-aliasing turned off, use the magic wand to select the area around the full-rug layer. Then select the layer with your new rug and cut.

Step 7. Duplicate the full-rug layer and merge with your new rug to insure it will be the right size.

Step 8. Starting with Layer A, select the area outside of the square rug piece. Inverse your selection (ctrl-A) then select your new rug layer. Right click on the layer and choose "New Layer via Cut".

Step 9. Repeat Step 7 for layers B-F

Step 10. Take the copy of the whole new rug and cut and paste it into a new image with a background of Solid Yellow RGB 255 255 0. Index image - select adaptive to create the palette, then drop the menu down again to custom and save a copy of your palette to a convenient place. You can now discard that image.

Step 11. Transmogrify the retro rug and export it to somewhere. It is better to not create sub-directories with these things.

Step 12. Open the large front sprites for A-F.

Step 13. Convert A-F to RGB mode

Step 14. Select the yellow areas in A-F with the magic wand. Make sure anti-aliasing is turned off. Select inverse.

Step 15. Copy A-F from your rug to A-F of the sprites. Index to Previous, or if you've taken a break index to Custom, load your custom palette and Save.

Step 16. You get to do all of this 5 more times. Take the copy you made and size it 50% and paste it into the medium front template repeating the steps then with the small. You may wish to sharpen these images (and fade sharpen until it's perfect).

With the back side, rotate the image 180ยบ and repeat the entire process using the back templates.

Large Rug

With these templates making a rug is a piece of cake.

Step 1.
Select a rug in a rectagled shape.

Step 2.
Size the rug to about 175x155

Step 3.
Cut and paste the rug into the large-rug_large-front

Step 4.
Use the Distort tool in Adobe Photoshop to transform the rug. Match up the corner to corner.

Step 5
Make a copy to save for the smaller sizes

Step 6
With anti-aliasing turned off, use the magic wand to select the area around the full-rug layer. Then select the layer with your new rug and cut.

Step 7
Duplicate the full-rug layer and merge with your new rug to insure it will be the right size.

Step 8
Starting with Layer A, select the area outside of the square rug piece. Inverse your selection (ctrl-A) then select your new rug layer. Right click on the layer and choose "New Layer via Cut".

Step 9
Repeat step 7 for layers B-F

Step 10
Take the copy of the whole new rug and cut and paste it into a new image with a background of Solid Yellow RGB 255 255 0. Index image - select adaptive to create the palette, then drop the menu down again to custom and save a copy of your palette to a convenient place. You can now discard that image.

Step 11
Transmogrify the retro rug and export it to somewhere. It is better to not create sub-directories with these things.

Step 12
Open the large front sprites for A-I.

Step 13
Convert A-I to RGB mode

Step 14
Select the yellow areas in A-I with the magic wand. Make sure anti-aliasing is turned off. Select inverse.

Step 15
Copy A-I from your rug to A-I of the sprites. Index to Previous, or if you've taken a break index to Custom, load your custom palette and Save.

Step 16
You get to do all of this 5 more times. Take the copy you made and size it 50% and paste it into the medium front template repeating the steps then with the small. You may wish to sharpen these images (and fade sharpen until it's perfect).

With the back side, rotate the image 180 and repeat the entire process using the back templates.

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Isn't there an easier way? Sure, easier and uglier. Your choice if you want to export 1 zoom, your smaller zooms will be really fuzzy. I personally prefer doing my own zooms on all objects because I'd rather have good quality.

This tutorial is by Heather at SimFreaks.com. Do not redistribute, sell or mess with it. ;-)

Thanks,
Heather