Need for Speed Underground
TexBin -- A Texture Bin Editor

Version 0.3
Released Jan. 5, 2004

Programmed by Arushan

Contact: For comments, suggestions email: 
         arushan@nd4spdworld.com

Questions: For questions and help, please ask at forums of 
           common NFS sites. I dont have time to personally 
           answer all questions sent to email.

Introduction
============
  This program will let you open up Textures.bin, Vinyls.bin, and
  any other textures and export the texture data as Direct Draw
  Surface (DDS) files. It also allows you to import DDS files back
  into the BIN file.

  You can only replace an exisiting texture, you CANNOT add a texture!
  When playing online, the other players will see the original texture,
  not your edited texture.


Requirements
============
  VB6 Runtimes
    You most likely have them already. If the program does
    not run or gives an error message about MSVBVM60.DLL, 
    download this from Microsoft's website and install it:
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=28337

  Other Required Files (download and install if asked)
   "MSCOMCTL.OCX" -- http://oedit.nd4spdworld.com/misc/MSCOMCTL.zip


Usage Help
==========
  To View The DDS Files:
  ----------------------

  For 3DSMAX, you may download the plugin from nVidia's developer's 
  site. For Photoshop 7, you can also download the DDS import/export 
  plugin at the same site:

     http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_texture_tools.html


  To edit the DDS Files (Adobe Photoshop 7/8):
  --------------------------------------------

  Download the Photoshop 7 DDS plugin at the nVidia site above and 
  install it (also install the DLLs if required). Export a texture 
  from BinTex and open it with Photoshop. (Say No when it asks about
  loading MipMaps). Edit the texture as required, and save. If you
  Save As (and a dialog comes asking for DDS settings), remember to
  select the proper format as stated by BinTex, and also set MIP maps
  to "Generate MIP maps". You can import the DDS back using BinTex.

  Some not-so-obvious formats:
     P8 = palette ARGB (256 colors)
     A8R8G8B8 = 8:8:8:8 ARGB (32 bit)

  Note that all newly created textures must have the same dimensions,
  and format as the texture in the BIN file.


  Editing Vinyls (Adobe Photoshop 7/8):
  -------------------------------------
  
  For each vinyl, there are two files -- The actual vinyl and a mask.

  For editing the actual vinyl, use the Eyedropper Tool to select shades
  of the red, green and blue color and use those colors. You do not have
  to use the exact color. As long as you use a color with the following 
  Hue (shown as H in the Color Picker) for each shade, it's fine:

    Red     Hue=0 degrees
    Green   Hue=120 degrees
    Blue    Hue=240 degrees

  Each color (red/green/blue) corresponds to a selectable color in the 
  game.

  For editing the mask, after editing the vinyl (and saving it), create 
  a duplicate of the image by going to Image->Duplicate. Go to 
  Image->Adjustments->Desaturate. Then go to Image->Adjustments->
  Auto Contrast. This is your mask image. Select all of it, and copy it, 
  then paste it over the original mask dds, flatten it (CTRL+E) and save 
  that (don't save the duplicate). The mask tells NFSU to display a certain 
  portion of the image and not others (the white area will be visible, 
  the black areas will not be visible).


Legal Trademarks
================
  EA GAMES, the EA GAMES logo, Electronic Arts. and Need For Speed 
  Underground are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic 
  Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Disclaimer
==========
  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY
  KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE MAY THE
  PROGRAMMER(S) OF THIS SOFTWARE BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
  INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING
  OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABLITY TO USE THIS SOFTWARE. USE THIS
  SOFTWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK!