Custom Buildings Preview Image within the Game

[Shroomblaze]

Hey, After downloading a few building mods now, I realize that all you can see is a little corner block of a building like something is under construction when previewing on the build bar. Is there anyway when making a new building for the game of somehow adding your own cropped preview image for the build bar? I would love to be able to add it for my own custom mods if possible so people can see what something is without having to hover over a bunch of Generic Icons to see what they are building.

Thanks!

 

[Ngon]

The preview in the assets editor when you decide the scale and rotation of the mesh will be the visible icon in the construction bar

 

[CO_Dae]

The preview in the assets editor when you decide the scale and rotation of the mesh will be the visible icon in the construction bar

That is true. Additionally, try putting a custom image into the Import folder with the same name as the model, except "_thumb" added (e.g. "model.fbx" can be accompanied by a "model_thumb.png"). I would suggest a resolution of 109x100. You can also try _thumb_hovered, _thumb_disabled, _thumb_focused, _thumb_pressed, but these will be generated if left out.

Note that this is something we are still working on, so this may change in the future if we e.g. find the time to develop an UI for this feature. That's also why it has not been officially documented.

 

[OlaHaldor]

I have the same problem that the thumbnail doesn't work.

I go about to Save the asset. In the save asset window I click the folder icon in the thumbnail preview area, Windows Explorer opens a new window, and I place a render of the prop (png with RGB+A) in the folder.
Back in the game, the thumbnail shows up in the thumbnail preview area. I save the asset and I think everything is good to go.
However, back in the asset editor, ready to use the prop, I see the "default white blocks placeholder" instead of my icon.

I have also placed all of these (_thumb, _thumb_hovered and so on) inside the import folder. No change.



I think this method works for in-game monuments and such though, all though I haven't tried that yet..

 

[ObeliskROM]

That is true. Additionally, try putting a custom image into the Import folder with the same name as the model, except "_thumb" added (e.g. "model.fbx" can be accompanied by a "model_thumb.png"). I would suggest a resolution of 109x100. You can also try _thumb_hovered, _thumb_disabled, _thumb_focused, _thumb_pressed, but these will be generated if left out.

Note that this is something we are still working on, so this may change in the future if we e.g. find the time to develop an UI for this feature. That's also why it has not been officially documented.

For what it's worth, I was able to get this working:

(awesome abstract smilie-face icon drawn in Paint.NET)

This was while importing a custom model, so I don't know if this is possible while using the in-game editor to edit existing assets.

Before importing my model in the asset tool, I placed the "CSModel01HouseTest01_thumb.png" (109x100 pixel PNG with transparent background) in the same folder as my "CSModel01HouseTest01.fbx" file, for me this was "C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Addons\Import". I imported the model, built my asset and saved it, and then was able to see the asset and icon in game as expected.

You won't see this icon anywhere in the asset tool or UI, only in the game itself on the build menu. In particular, this is NOT the preview image that you select using the little folder icon above the name field when you're saving your asset. That is a screenshot/preview image that is shown in the asset UI and Steam Workshop, not on the build menu.

 

[WillieTheWolf]

I had hit and miss in this subject. In my case what works is to start a new asset, set the scale number (this is when you probably only see a corner as the building is bigger than the display area) then press esc, click on star new asset and now you asset will show completely and will have the scale number adjusted already. Fro mthere just proceed and create you asset. At least that worked for me.

 

[RedBeanPaste]

The preview in the assets editor when you decide the scale and rotation of the mesh will be the visible icon in the construction bar

Apparently this isn't the case for props, since the generic icon is still being displayed whenever i see a custom prop. I noticed the same with other custom props downloaded from the workshop.

For what it's worth, I was able to get this working:
(awesome abstract smilie-face icon drawn in Paint.NET)

This was while importing a custom model, so I don't know if this is possible while using the in-game editor to edit existing assets.

Before importing my model in the asset tool, I placed the "CSModel01HouseTest01_thumb.png" (109x100 pixel PNG with transparent background) in the same folder as my "CSModel01HouseTest01.fbx" file, for me this was "C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Addons\Import". I imported the model, built my asset and saved it, and then was able to see the asset and icon in game as expected.

You won't see this icon anywhere in the asset tool or UI, only in the game itself on the build menu. In particular, this is NOT the preview image that you select using the little folder icon above the name field when you're saving your asset. That is a screenshot/preview image that is shown in the asset UI and Steam Workshop, not on the build menu.

I had hit and miss in this subject. In my case what works is to start a new asset, set the scale number (this is when you probably only see a corner as the building is bigger than the display area) then press esc, click on star new asset and now you asset will show completely and will have the scale number adjusted already. From there just proceed and create you asset. At least that worked for me.

Unfortunately neither of these suggestions worked when importing a custom prop. The generic icon still displays whenever I use a custom prop. Maybe it only works for buildings.

 

[Feindbold]

I had hit and miss in this subject. In my case what works is to start a new asset, set the scale number (this is when you probably only see a corner as the building is bigger than the display area) then press esc, click on star new asset and now you asset will show completely and will have the scale number adjusted already. Fro mthere just proceed and create you asset. At least that worked for me.

THIS! its exactly what I do, its works fine.

 

[MishkaHD]

For one of my unique building mods, it generated the thumbnail somehow after I created the asset, so I think it's only working for some assets currently and not others.

 

[Feindbold]

Nah, it should work for all, you just need to follow WillieTheWolfs instruction.

 

[redjericho3]

That is true. Additionally, try putting a custom image into the Import folder with the same name as the model, except "_thumb" added (e.g. "model.fbx" can be accompanied by a "model_thumb.png"). I would suggest a resolution of 109x100. You can also try _thumb_hovered, _thumb_disabled, _thumb_focused, _thumb_pressed, but these will be generated if left out.

Note that this is something we are still working on, so this may change in the future if we e.g. find the time to develop an UI for this feature. That's also why it has not been officially documented.

This should be on the wiki for sure

 

[cinephile]

Hmm, can't get any of this to actually work, though, for saving ploppable assets. I've tried including various kinds of things in the folder with them when they are being saved but none of them actually show up in-game as a thumbnail.

I've tried using filename_thumb.png, Asset Name_thumb.png, Asset Name.png and none of these get used.

The only person I've seen figure this out is the designer of the public football pitch park, Ngon, I've asked him on Steam how he managed it, will see what he says.

It would be pretty simple if there was just a 'browse for' option in the panel when saving assets, to use things for the in-game thumbnails.

 

[White Prophet]

For what it's worth, I was able to get this working:
This was while importing a custom model, so I don't know if this is possible while using the in-game editor to edit existing assets.

While it would be a long workaround, what is the procedure to get the asset from the workshop, grab the file, and reimport so as to get the thumbernail ?
I figured it out for the "grab" part, the workshop ressources are located at :
\Steam\SteamApps\workshop\content\255710\409641585 (for the soccre field for - a bad - exemple - as it display correctely)
them you got a .crp file
place it within C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Addons\Import ?
remove subscribtion to the asset.
Add a thumbernail.
Import as you (too lightly for me) described ?

Can you be more specific on the "import" bits please?
(and forgive my bad english)

 

[TPB]

Hello, I have a couple of questions...

I've managed to get the icons showing after much tinkering, by following the above instructions, and it seems to work, at least inside the asset editor I can now see the icon.

The problem is that when I go into the game the asset is not there at all, never mind the icon. Any ideas what the problem may be? I've tried restarting the game but it didn't help.

Also, does anyone know how to add a file to show as background in the fly-out bubble that appears when you hover on the item in menu?

Thank you!

EDIT:

I figured it out with the help of Lord Rato.

Still looking to learn how to add fly-out bubble background image though.