Tutorial: Custom Minimaps in W3X's

Since I couldn't find one, and I had to use a skinning tutorial to figure this out (pretty confusing at first), I thought I would make one.

Files You Need:
WC3 IMAGE EXTRACTOR 2
Some Photoshop/PSP Paint Program (Must Support Alpha Channels)

Lets get started.

STEP 1: Open WC3 Image Extractor 2 and then go to Open Archive, now, at the bottom where it says "MPQ files" drop down the box and select ALL FILES, so that you see everything. Go to YOUR MAP that you want your minimap image in, and select it.

Now there should only be one thing, war3mapMAP and a picture of your maps minimap. Save that as a JPG or something and open it from your desktop in PSP.

STEP 2: Once in PSP/PS Whatever you got, paint over it add text blahblah, and save it as a TARGA.

STEP 3: Close and Re-Open WC3 Image Extractor. Go to "Open Image" and open your TARGA File. Then go to SAVE and save as .BLP

STEP 4: Close down WC3 Image Extractor, won't need it anymore.
Go to WC3 Editor and go to Import Manager. MAKE SURE YOU .BLP file is EXACTLY named war3mapMap.blp and IMPORT IT.

STEP 5: No go to file properties, then check the custom path box and put this in:


And then save your map, and enjoy the awesome minimap image.

Moderator please sticky this for a little bit before moving to tutorials so it gets a little attention. I haven't seen one of these threads for TFT image importing so.. yea. :D

This tutorial looks ok, it should be moved to the tutorials section...

I've never thought about using a custom minimap, but it sounds cool. Good job!:D

You forgot to mension that the tga MUST be 264pixels, or something close to that.

yea i believe the tga must be either 256x256 or 512x512

If you followed it I said to edit the TARGA file, which is already the size you need it to be so... But yea. 256x256 is the size it MUST be.

Custom Minimap images make your map look 10x more professional :)