Discussion LEGO Racers Theme Overhaul

[plakrast]

I can't remember the bit count, but files with transparency need to be indexed images. I think 24-bit BMPs should work in most cases, but 8-bit may be required in others.

 

The thing is, the program I'm using (GIMP) has multiple export options for each bit count, as seen here. I tried the first option for 16 bit, which didn't work, but 24 and 32 bit have only one. I'll try the other 16 bit option, but I wish I knew what the abbreviations under the options stood for. I'm also not sure if I can create indexed images under GIMP, or what that "do not write color space information" checkbox does (although those might be related problems). 

[LimeKiller]

The thing is, the program I'm using (GIMP)

 

Well, there's your problem.   I like GIMP for Photoshop-y stuff, but it's so hard to use. I had errors when trying to do texture modding with GIMP, so I used Paint.NET instead, which worked right away.

[plakrast]

The thing is, the program I'm using (GIMP)

 

Well, there's your problem.   I like GIMP for Photoshop-y stuff, but it's so hard to use. I had errors when trying to do texture modding with GIMP, so I used Paint.NET instead, which worked right away.

 

Well, I guess it's really just personal preference, as I've used Gimp for quite a while now. Of course, if it has some problem with exporting the correct type of file for this purpose, I'd switch, if only for that period of time. It's more complicated, but I prefer more features to simpler usage.

[LimeKiller]

Oh, I agree with you. I really like the more-features aspect of it; that's why I use it for more serious photo editing. I just could not for the life of me get it to work with LEGO Racers. Since I already had Paint.NET installed, I used that and it worked right away, but I still usually use GIMP.

[plakrast]

Oh, I agree with you. I really like the more-features aspect of it; that's why I use it for more serious photo editing. I just could not for the life of me get it to work with LEGO Racers. Since I already had Paint.NET installed, I used that and it worked right away, but I still usually use GIMP.

 

Well if that's the case, maybe it just exports the BMP with some newer formatting LR can't handle. I'll try it again though, and if it doesn't work, paint.net would probably work as it does for you. Of course, this is completely off topic, so I hope JimbobJeffers makes a new forum thread for the newer idea. That, or just change the title of this one. 

[alan]

Sorry if I have to expand the off-topic: I prefer working with Paint.NET because I think it is easier to use. It might also be that GIMP saves bmp textures as .bmp and not as .BMP . Lego Racers can only read textures if the file ending is written in caps. Maybe that's the cause why it doesn't work for you

[plakrast]

Sorry if I have to expand the off-topic: I prefer working with Paint.NET because I think it is easier to use. It might also be that GIMP saves bmp textures as .bmp and not as .BMP . Lego Racers can only read textures if the file ending is written in caps. Maybe that's the cause why it doesn't work for you

Possibly, although I could save it as that too if I wanted. LR seems to attempt loading however, so I don't think that's the issue, and if it were, it'd be a strange one. I guess that's another thing to try. I haven't worked on anything related to Racers for a while, though. In fact, I just finished a play-through of Thomas was Alone, so I've lost most of my will to do anything. I'll try that eventually I guess.

[Jimbob]

I'll post a topic for the community project soon, and this thread can be used for discussion about it thereafter, as the thread will be designed for submitting mods.

[Jimbob]

Before I make the topic, I'd like some suggestions for themes to use in the overhaul. Rather than having people come in with their own themes, there should be some level of organisation to ensure tracks and characters are uniform.

 

So, could people please suggest themes for this community project? Blacktron has already been suggested, and Ghost Pirates seem to be desirable too.

[plakrast]

Before I make the topic, I'd like some suggestions for themes to use in the overhaul. Rather than having people come in with their own themes, there should be some level of organisation to ensure tracks and characters are uniform.

 

So, could people please suggest themes for this community project? Blacktron has already been suggested, and Ghost Pirates seem to be desirable too.

 

Are these themes strictly limited to past Lego product lines? I'm not sure what I would pick, but if it's not only from that area there could be some interesting choices.

[Aokpisz]

Well, quite a few space themes could be implemented. Mars Mission, M-tron, etc.

Maybe a town theme somehow? Maybe Royal Knight's Raceway... we could make the castle towers invisible.

[Brickulator]

So, could people please suggest themes for this community project? Blacktron has already been suggested, and Ghost Pirates seem to be desirable too.

I still think Ghost Pirates would be awesome and shouldn't be too difficult.

 

Maybe a town theme somehow? Maybe Royal Knight's Raceway... we could make the castle towers invisible.

Get rid of the castle and put loads of buildings from Imperial Grand Prix in there, that might work?

I'd love to be involved in this project somehow.

[LimeKiller]

I always wondered how they could have completely neglected Wild West, but creating a track like that might be hard to do.

[Brickulator]

I always wondered how they could have completely neglected Wild West, but creating a track like that might be hard to do.

Hmm...Royal Knight's Raceway might be good for that too, if the castle walls could be retextured to be wild west buildings? I don't know how those textures work though.

[Aokpisz]

I don't think so, a lot of the "walls" (mountains) use the same texture, so it'd be kinda weird looking.

[plakrast]

I don't think so, a lot of the "walls" (mountains) use the same texture, so it'd be kinda weird looking.

 

Canyons and reddish dirt replaces stone and grass, and voila! I'm not sure the castle walls as buildings would work, though, because it would end up being one repeating building probably.

[Aokpisz]

I don't think so, a lot of the "walls" (mountains) use the same texture, so it'd be kinda weird looking.

 

Canyons and reddish dirt replaces stone and grass, and voila! I'm not sure the castle walls as buildings would work, though, because it would end up being one repeating building probably.

Ahh. I misread Brickulator's post and thought that he meant that he wanted the canyon walls retextured as buildings.

[Jimbob]

Thanks for the suggestions, I think any LEGO theme that hasn't already been done is applicable, in addition to non-LEGO but suitable themes like Ghost Pirates.

 

Here's what we've got so far then (excluding multiple space themes, perhaps they should be combined):

• Blacktron/M-Tron
• Ghost Pirates
• Town
• Wild West

I'll add this list to the original post. Keep going with ideas, plus if you can suggest tracks to match them with that would be helpful. For example:

 

[table]

ThemeTrack

Blacktron/M-TronMagma Moon Marathon

Ghost PiratesAlien Rally Asteroid

TownRoyal Knights Raceway

Wild WestKnightmare-Athon [/table]

[plakrast]

WIld West - - - - - - - - - Knightmare-athon

 

We're going to need some custom music for that one, I think. The others hold up well enough, but Knightmare-athon's music is not even close to stereotypical western music. Another thing that could change is the skybox; are we planning on doing that? The track is fine though, just needs some refurbishing.

[Brickulator]

We're going to need some custom music for that one, I think. The others hold up well enough, but Knightmare-athon's music is not even close to stereotypical western music. Another thing that could change is the skybox; are we planning on doing that? The track is fine though, just needs some refurbishing.

We don't have to keep the default music, you can easily change the music a track uses by editing its LEGOMSC file. Or we could convert some "wild west" music from another game - Football Mania maybe?

[plakrast]

We're going to need some custom music for that one, I think. The others hold up well enough, but Knightmare-athon's music is not even close to stereotypical western music. Another thing that could change is the skybox; are we planning on doing that? The track is fine though, just needs some refurbishing.

We don't have to keep the default music, you can easily change the music a track uses by editing its LEGOMSC file. Or we could convert some "wild west" music from another game - Football Mania maybe?

 

I know, it shouldn't be that difficult. Are there any Lego games that have western music though? I can't think of any, so maybe your idea is the best choice. Anyway the backgrounds shouldn't be that hard to change, either.

[Brickulator]

Are there any Lego games that have western music though?

Apart from Football Mania? Chess has a western midi we could convert but I think the FM music would be more suited to a racing game. And there's that broken music from LEGOLAND but again, not very exciting for a racing game.

[plakrast]

Are there any Lego games that have western music though?

Apart from Football Mania? Chess has a western midi we could convert but I think the FM music would be more suited to a racing game. And there's that broken music from LEGOLAND but again, not very exciting for a racing game.

 

Oh, okay. Well I actually have a copy of Lego Chess around here somewhere, but from what I remember, it's rather calm music, and as you said, not very fitting. Football Mania probably is the best option.

[Jimbob]

Yes, if any of you would like to change skyboxes and create custom/convert other music in that would be fine, once the themes have been sorted I'll post the submissions topic and you can say what you'd like to mod.

[plakrast]

Yes, if any of you would like to change skyboxes and create custom/convert other music in that would be fine, once the themes have been sorted I'll post the submissions topic and you can say what you'd like to mod.

 

Sounds good. I may actually be able to help out with this; the drawing tablet I ordered comes in this week. We'll want more Ideas, though, surely? That's only four confirmed, and they span all three circuits so it'd be a sparse retheming as it is now.