Creating addons

From Simutrans Wiki

Pak files consist of a plain text file with data (a dat file), and a png image. They are compiled into simutrans readable object files with MakeObj.

1 Dat files
2 Png images
- 2.1 Restrictions
- 2.2 Creating png images
3 Necessary paks for Simutrans to start at all

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Dat files

Dat files are plain text files (no formatting) with a .dat file extension. Dat files can be edited in Wordpad or countless similar programs.

Please do not use Notepad, you'll find that linebreaks are non-existent:

For detailed overview of parameters for different types of objects, see Dat File Reference
To download a zip file with all dats files from the simutrans 99.10 pak64, click here.

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Png images

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Restrictions

Png images must obey certain rules for MakeObj to handle them correctly.

The png must have a color depth of 24 bits per pixel. You can flatten png files in the Gimp to give them the correct png type.
The png must use the correct transparency color. Note that there are some other special colors which glow in the dark in the game.
The image size in pixels must be a multiple of the tile set's size (the most common sizes are 64 and 128).
All objects in the image must be aligned to the imaginary paksize x paksize tiles in the image. Their position within these tiles will affect their alignment withing the game. Note that the dat files also refer to tile coordinates within images.

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Creating png images

There are roughly two ways to create images for simutrans. Either you draw them by hand in a program like the Gimp, or you make a 3D model and render it (see also: Tools). Making 3D models has a steeper initial learning curve, but on the other hand it is easier to make good-looking objects in that way. There is a difference in style as well.

If you want to try and make a 3D model, Blender can be recommended, if only because several simutrans artists are working with it already. Please look at www.blenderartists.org for Blender tutorials and support. Some useful simutrans blender templates can be found here.

Image style guide

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