Creating custom Prelude skins Question

[Balladeer]

Hey there.  Could someone point me to a tutorial on how to do this?  I downloaded the SDK.  I'm very new at this
type of thing but I would like to make a custom skin.  I'm using Gimp which I'm also very new at and still trying to
learn and understand layering and so forth.

Believe it or not, I was tickled that I actually got something to show up in the sim.  However the hangars and fuel
tank on the prelude base seem to be missing textures (probably do to my limited understanding of how to skin and
use gimp)  However the Dome shaped part of the base seems to be appearing and showing the custom graphics that
I put onto it.  

My main confusion are the three dds files that have to be present.  

-I uploaded the single file that came with the SDK.

-I (to th best of my ability thus far) edited the mars prelude base layers that came with the single file.  I actually
deleted all but three of the layers.

-I deleted all but three layers because the instructions talked about having to have those three dds files and must
not be renamed.  So in Gimp, I renamed each of the three layers the names of the dds files.  (Otherwise, I have no
idea of how to get all of those layers that came with the SDK into the three dds files)

I'm sorry if this is a confusing mess.  Its do to the fact that I'm a confused mess.

But once again, of all things I actually figured out how to convert what files I had into dds files using the orbiter utility
that Dan mentions.  So most of my base shows up.  Just the hangars and fuel tank areas are a little funny.

So if anyone could point me to a tutorial or if someone who has done this before could give me a step by step that
would be great.  Thankyou

[Balladeer]

Well I think I figured out my main question.  I redid a new skin from the template provided and saved that whole
thing as the "PreludeMain.dds" file.  Then I copied and pasted the other two files from another skin folder therefore
using the original prelude pad and details.  

So now I've got a new prelude base skin!  Cool I've never done this type of stuff before.  Well I guess I should
upload it here and get feedback and suggestions.


The only other question I have, can you customize the "preludeIIpad" and "preludedetails" files to customize the pad
and hangars?  Thank you.

[sunshine135]

Dan's SDK only included the dome of the Prelude station. The .dds file could be loaded into GIMP, but it will not have
the multiple layers like the dome will. This may not be an issue if your modifications are minor.

Cheers,

[Balladeer]

Thanks sunshine135 for the heads up.