View source for OOTP Baseball:Customizing OOTP/Editing and Creating Game Skins

== OOTP Skin Files ==
OOTP "skin files" contain all the files and information used to create the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of OOTP. They contain various images and configuration files which essentially make up the visual components of the GUI. OOTP comes with three skins. OOTP Dark (default), OOTP Light and OOTP Classic.

=== Downloading the Skin Files ===
Before editing a Skin, the files which make up the skin must first be downloaded from the [[OOTP Baseball:Screens and Menus/File Menu/Workshop and Add-Ons Central|workshop]].The Steam version of the game uses the Steam Workshop while the standalone (Fastspring) version of the game uses Add-ons Central

==== Steam Workshop - Steam Version ====
The Steam Workshop can be reached directly via the Steam app from the top menu on the OOTP game page, or from within the game under File>Workshop>Open Workshop button, or from the link at the bottom of the [[OOTP Baseball:Launching the Game|OOTP start screen]].

# Subscribe to the Mod on the Steam Workshop page by clicking the subscribe button (Steam will automatically download the file)
# Open Workshop Central from the File menu in OOTP
# The file should be listed in Your Subscribed Items. It now must be installed.
# Select the item and on the right hand side click the button: "This item is downloaded, click here to install or re-install it" 

==== Add-Ons Central - Standalone Version ====
''Information needed.''

=== Editing the Skin Files ===
Once downloaded and installed the skin files are located in the /data/skins/ folder. This folder can be found by clicking [[OOTP Baseball:Screens and Menus/File Menu/Settings#Troubleshooting|"Open folder containing customizable data" in Settings]].

Editing the skin files is primarily a process of trial and error. There is no official documentation. At the simplest level images that are easily recognizable in game can be found and modified. Things get more complicated when delving into the myriad of text configuration files.

* The first step in editing a skin is to decide which skin to use as the base to work off. It's best to make a copy of the entire skin folder so that the original is preserved. Select the skin folder (ex: ootp dark) and make a copy within the root Skins folder. Ex: skins/My Skin - ootp dark 

* The next step is to begin making changes by editing or replacing existing files. The text files can be viewed and edited in Notepad or any text editor (make sure to save as plain text if using a more advanced editor).

* Once changes are made the Skin must be "rebuilt" before it will load within the game. To do this simply delete the skin.bin file located in the root folder of the skin.

=== Loading the Skin in Game ===
To load the edited skin go to the main Settings page. On the Interface tab the first drop down changes the skin. Select a skin and click the Ok button. It will take some time for the game to "rebuild" the skin.bin file. Once loaded the interface can be explored to check the changes that were made.

To make further changes the process of editing and deleting the skin.bin file is repeated. To rebuild the skin again the game must be exited and restarted. Switching to another skin and then switching back to the edited skin will also rebuild the skin.bin file without the need to exit the game.

==== Skin Knowledge Base ====
See the Skin Knowledge Base for tips, how to's and information on what certain files do.

''Will create a separate page under this one for a repository of knowledge on what skin files do what.''

==== Award Icons ====