About BaseTileMaker
BaseTileMaker allow you to cut TGA image and save the parts directly in dds format ready to use in Orbiter. Designing surface tiles often require several change on the original image and the existing tool don't allow to cut the image in one click, thus the process is very long and become a pain. Hoppefully BaseTileMaker will speed up and simplify the process a lot.
- Cut and save the tiles in DDS format.
- Automatically rename the tile in Orbiter's tile filename system.
- Automatically create the declaration to copy/past in base config file ("BEGIN_SURFTILELIST").
- Remember setting per image.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This software is not meant for beginner that want a all-in-one tile utility. By searching a bit you can find several tutorials that explain the process. But a "cut to dds" utility was lacking and so this soft will be very usefull and save a lot of your time.
Step by Step process
- From your graphic utility save your TGA image in folder "Orbiter/Utils/BaseTileMaker/YourTGAFolder".
- Launch BaseTileMaker (Orbiter/Utils/BaseTileMaker/BaseTileMaker.exe).
- Select yout TGA Image in the drope list.
- Give the Top/left tile's name in orbiter format (See below Tiles filename).
- Give number of row/column tiles to create (Optimal size is: 1024x1024) Warning: each tile must be multiple of 8, 1024x1024 or 512x256 for exemple are ok 683x256 would not work. Also a size bigger than 1024 may cause problem for older graphic cards. So to have a correct cutting your TGA image must be a multiple of 8. (8192, 16384 etc)
- Select type of transparency format (DXT1 DXT5 etc.).
- Select where to save the dds ("Orbiter/textures" ready to use or local folder)
- Click "Create DDS".
Tiles's filename
Orbiter use tiles filename to detect planet, resolution, and location. (Example: "Mars_1_w0139_n0026.dds", "Earth_5_e0273_n2093.dds")
in BaseTileMaker you should give the top/left Tile's filename,and the other tiles will be named automatically.
You must give an exact and valid name else it will not work in Orbiter and/or BaseTileMaker.
This documentation doesn't explain how to find this name but you can see some explaination and utility below:
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Optionnal: Use "_raw_" keyword instead of Orbiter's filename
Use this keyword if you want to use your tile in another soft than orbiter. The tiles will be saved with format "[tga filename]_Col[number]_Row[number].dds" example: "Demo_Col000_Row000.dds" "MyImage_Col001_Row000.dds".
Transparency format
- DXT1: Square rough image w/o transparency.
- DXT1a: Rough transparency mask. (1 bit)
- DXT3: 4 bits transparency mask.
- DXT5: High quality transparency mask (perfect to fade your image in the background)

NOTE: To create dds with transparency your TGA image should have a transparency layer painted. Search on the net if you don't know how to do create one with your graphic software.