"Cubes for Peace" project. Custom art contest!

[nothke]

Ever wanted to turn space into an art gallery?! Want to commemorate an event or even throw ashes of your fallen Kerbal into Kerbol? Ooor just easily fill the orbits with junk? Now you can!!

With Cubes for Peace!

What is this?

No, this is not an infomercial, this is a mini-project intended to make your KSP flights a bit more personal =) It gives you a 0.5x0.5x0.5 cube (inspired by cubeSATs) and lets you draw anything on it's 6 sides!

Cubes stowed inside my shuttle

aaand, they're gone =)

How to make your own

In the package you will find a template (.psd) with which you can make your own texture. When template is open, you can use the "wire/bounds" layer to see exactly where the face borders are, and make sure to paint in the "PAINT HERE!" layer (not obvious at all). Keep the "occlusion" layer on so you have a soft shade near the edges. To prepare the texture for KSP, you should duplicate the part folder, and change the name in .cfg to your liking. When you are finished making your art, save it as model000.png and put it inside the part folder. (hopefully this process will be simplified after we get flags in the next update)

Update: If you are unable to open the .psd file, save the image under this text, open it in any image program you want and you could paint over it. But note that you will paint over the "shades". Therefore it is recomended to use a layer-capable image editor. If you are working in GIMP or other layer-capable image editor, put the image on top of your painting layer and put it into "multiple" blending mode so the shades darken the paint under it.

The second image explains which side of the cube the squares face and where exactly the bounds are (everything colored in pink is not used on the model).

Ok, so what's the use of this?

There is absolutely no practical purpose. The idea came to me when I wanted to fill my shuttle with payload after already running out of ideas with stock parts and other mods.. And it would be cool to pack the Shuttle with something small. I remembered that in reality they send lots of cubeSATs onboard shuttles, to ISS or just join them to other satellites, and they're usually made/customized by students, so I got the idea to open it to the community

Why "Cubes for peace"?

I was listening to "Atoms for Peace" and it's the first thing that springed into my mind.. Yeah I know.. How "original" Well I thought it was a good name at the start so decided not to change it. This is a peacefull project after all xD

CONTEST!

I am opening a contest for including your artwork into the next version of the mod! Since the cubes will be selected, it should have some good reason, an inspiring drawing or just good art! You should also post a screenshot of your entry cube and post the texture here (keep it at 512x512 pixels).

Download:

http://www./?z781rwae88b8gj9

Edited May 14, 2013 by nothke

[nothke]

reserveeed

Edited May 14, 2013 by nothke

[astropapi1]

Awesome!

You should do a video tutorial and demonstration.

[Wait- Was That Important?]

I like it! I've failed miserably to do anything terribly artistic with it, and took some kajiggering to get it to work in paint, but I'm sure I've tossed at least 10 of the little buggers overboard by now. I'm going to try and see if I can sent one on solar escape!

[nothke]

I like it! I've failed miserably to do anything terribly artistic with it, and took some kajiggering to get it to work in paint, but I'm sure I've tossed at least 10 of the little buggers overboard by now. I'm going to try and see if I can sent one on solar escape!

Yeah, I should do a paint-friendlier version. Post some screens of your cube missions =)

[MmPMSFmM]

Ehm... I can't open .psd files... sorry... But I'll try to do it anyway...

[llamatoes]

Dammit, I'd love to do this, but my antivirus hates mediafire, could you re-host via dropbox or google drive?

[Zaeo]

I understand as to why you chose to use PSD files, but a lot of people can't open them.

Have you tried Gimp's XCF format?

[nothke]

I understand as to why you chose to use PSD files, but a lot of people can't open them.

Have you tried Gimp's XCF format?

Sorry people! I am thinking how to solve the problem. The problem is that the layers are important and most image files (jpg, png, tga) don't store layers. Just one, that is..

[nothke]

Here, save this image and open it in any image program you want. The second explains which side of the cube the squares face and where exactly the bounds are (everything colored in pink is not used on the model)

If you are working in GIMP or other layer-capable image editor, put the image on top of your painting layer and put it into "multiple" blending mode so the shades darken the paint under it.

Edited May 14, 2013 by nothke

[MmPMSFmM]

Ever heard of "Multiple .png files"?

Anyway:

On the launch pad:

And yes, imgur had to convert it to jpg.

I hate physics warp... So accurate aaaaaand I lost the parachute.

Here's the cubes

[nothke]

Really nice pixel art! I can see you've used your Kerbol system flags =)

Ever heard of "Multiple .png files"?

Not really. I read now that they are used for animation similar to gifs. Is there a way to save it with layers, and do you think it would be actually practical?

And yes, imgur had to convert it to jpg.

Hmm, the textures I posted to imgur didn't switch to .jpg they are still .png, and I don't see any compression artifacts, so it's good.

[Zaeo]

Gimp's .XCF has layer support.

it is a Free alternative to PSD files, though it still requires the end user to install Gimp to edit.

Why not just release the whole texture file format for people to change? It would remain a .png, leaving everyone with the ability to change it how they please, and possibly even increase its resolution.

[nothke]

Why not just release the whole texture file format for people to change? It would remain a .png, leaving everyone with the ability to change it how they please, and possibly even increase its resolution.

The texture IS .png. The problem, as I have noted before, is that there is the "shade" (the baked ambient occlusion) layer that should be placed on top of your artwork. You CAN edit original textures, but you will ruin the baked map. That's why you need to have a separate template and that layer on top. The shade is only used to make the model look better and more smooth. You could do it without, but it would be better with IMO. Also the boundaries are difficult to see cause they are slightly smaller than the shaded squares so it's a big help to have an ability to turn on a layer just to see where they exactly are. That is why I provided a separate layer (the second image) with the wireframe.

It's just more helpful and might look better. But you can just edit the original .png-s if you want

I think I will make a picture tutorial after all cause people are confused, and probably cause I don't explain very well with just words xD

Edited May 14, 2013 by nothke

[3_bit]

Odd coincidence, last month I started work on a cubesat mod. It's my first mod and won't be released for a long time, but will be 1:1 scale and have a variety of addons like Mechjeb, ion drives, docking ports, landing legs, etc. As I said, long wait involved.

[MmPMSFmM]

Really nice pixel art! I can see you've used your Kerbol system flags =)

Not really. I read now that they are used for animation similar to gifs. Is there a way to save it with layers, and do you think it would be actually practical?

Hmm, the textures I posted to imgur didn't switch to .jpg they are still .png, and I don't see any compression artifacts, so it's good.

Thanks!

No, there is not. But a lot of image editors (Gimp, Paint.net, etc. (MS Paint is not an image editor, it's crap)) support (partial) transparency and the "filtering" using the (partially) transparent images (hard to explain).

Uhm, I only meant the first image, re-uploaded 5 times, checked if it really was a .png file before but no... Imgur's just being a d***.

[nothke]

Odd coincidence, last month I started work on a cubesat mod. It's my first mod and won't be released for a long time, but will be 1:1 scale and have a variety of addons like Mechjeb, ion drives, docking ports, landing legs, etc. As I said, long wait involved.

What you are talking about sounds like a hybrid of my two projects xD Cubes for peace and KASPAR. KASPAR will have mechjeb, docking port, battery, etc. addition that you can attach anywhere. How do you mean 1:1 scale? real 10x10x10cm size?? I don't think it would work cause the collision detection aka "physics" is pretty bad in game below 0.5

[LaydeeDem]

DON't BELIEVE THIS EVIL MAN'S LIES. HE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A KESSLER SYNDROME ENABLER.

SEE HERE, DIRTY CORPARTIONS ARE DUMPING WASTE IN THE PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT OF SPACE. IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR LITTLE KERBLETS TO GROW UP TO? A DIRTY SPACE JUNK HEAP?

YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM MY LAWYERS. THAT IS ALL.

[nothke]

Are you tryin' to unterraform Kerbin?? xD

[astropapi1]

I love that ring of debris.

[jaked122]

Sorry people! I am thinking how to solve the problem. The problem is that the layers are important and most image files (jpg, png, tga) don't store layers. Just one, that is..

Just saying, XCF is good only because it has multilayer support, quite possibly as extensive as photoshop.

Though, if you use Gimp, then you can use PSD, so case in point, it probably doesn't matter.

And I see that my concern has already been posted.

[SuperWeegee4000]

If someone doesn't make a Companion Cube

I quit

[The Destroyer]

I'm on it!

DONE

Edited August 27, 2013 by The Destroyer