OK, this is my first tutorial... I hope it's readable. Before I go on, I must say that I can't upload all the necessary files to the server because of file size or legal rights over the software. You need to know the basic of google or altavista browsing to find the files, but I'll try and post the links if I can

You can actually check the links page, and maybe in those places you´ll find the files already posted...

1. The 3D object creation

To create the 3D object you may use any program that exports to the AutoCad DXF format, be it 3DStudioMax, Lightwave, Maya (not tested), Plasma, Rhino (not tested), MilkShape 3D, etc...

By the way, MilkShape allows to import the TMD files for visualization (without colors or textures...)

If you have little or zero experience with this programs, you better look for special tutorials... (maybe I'll do one myself later, I don't know much about this topic anyhow!!!)

If you're using Lightwave there's a plugin that allows direct work against the RSD format that we'll discuss later, but I haven't been able to find it! If anyone finds it or already has it in his HD (it's named "Animation Saver" just in case), please send me the file or the URL if its possible!!!

IMPORTANT: The model must not have too many poligons, you need to optimize the object or downgrade it's resolution (not the size) all you can, without damaging the graphics quality

No textures must be applied to the model (yet!!!), since it would be a waste of time, the color information is lost in the convertion process (especially the texture data)

Once you have the DXF file, proceed with the next step

2. DXF to RSD convertion

We already have a DXF file, which by the way is really popular among the 3D editors, and that also is completely useless for us right now...

We have to convert this file into a RSD, the RSD is a group of files (4 to be exact), which contains the polygon, vertex, normals and colour information of the 3D object, in PlayStation format

The program we are going to use is the DXF2RSD, please find it on the Internet, it shouldn't be too hard to find, or if anyone's already got it on their page, please pass me the link and I'll post it here!!! (The problem with this file is that it's property of Sony, bringin nasty consecuences for illegal use...)

This program comes in two versions, a DOS version and a Windows 3.x one, both are really old, but they get the job done... For the logo creation, we'll use the Windows version (and if you can't find it, the DOS version shouldn't be to hard to handle)

This are the options:

- If we don't want to be bothered by the colours (we'll change them anyway), we must unselect the "Dump undefined colors" option.

-We can click on the "Reduce normals" button if we want the file to be smaller, but I've only tested it with plane objects, so there's no warranty about the final graphics appearance...

- If you can't avoid temptation of clicking the "Smooth Shading" button, you better avoid it by all means since the boot logo doesn't work unless you use flat shading, causing weird artifacts on the final product (for those who don't know the difference between smooth shading, also known as Gouraud Shading, or flat shading, compare the feminine quad characters of Bloody Roar 1 against the round ones from Bloody Roar 2...)

- The "Scale factor" changes the graphics size, but we don't need to play with it yet, so let's leave it alone!

- The "Coord" allows you to fix the orientation of the 3D object (to correct, i.e. when the object is looking down or looking left and not the front) depending on the coordinate axes

- The "Triangulate" option makes all the polygons to be translated as triangles, but another option (not visible in this snap) makes the polygons quads instead, and that won't work for the boot logo, so please DO NOT TOUCH this button...

- The "Standard" in Polygon attributes tells the program which faces should be drawn, so let's go take a shortcut and state that if you worked with 3DStudioMax you'll have to change the option to "Back-face", in any other cases you shouldn't need to touch this button

FINALLY!!!, play all you want with the application and when you are ready, press the "Convert" button, creating a brand new set of RSD files!!!

3. RSD editing

So we have a RSD file set of files, this is the official 3D format for the PlayStation, but it can't be used directly into the console (ironic, ain't it???)

What we do now is edit the file so it looks the way we want, this is just on the colour realm, no textures allowed in here!!! They can't be seen during the boot sequence, being replaced by blank spaces (blah, blah, blah...) In other words, DO NOT USE TEXTURES!!!

For the editing we'll use Sony's RSDTOOL, you already know that you have to look for it by yourselfs, or send me the link...

This program allows you to paint polygon by polygon, this is the GUI:

It's not a big deal... but it does the trick!!! With the right mouse button you can rotate the image, and with the left one you colour or select the faces of a polygon

RSD Model View

This window shows the following buttons:

- Get Texture: Shows you the polygon texture (no use for us)

- Paint Texture: Applies the chosen texture (no use for us)

- Get Colour: Chooses the actual polygon's colour

- Paint Colour: Duhhh... Paints the polygon with the chosen colour

- Current Colour: Shows the current colour

- Pick Colour: Allows you to choose the desired colour from the basic Windows interface...

- Update changes: Exactly does that...

- Undo changes: The same here...

- Set Background image: Places a background picture only while you're working... (It's inverted and it's got to be in BMP format)

- Set Background colour: Changes the background colour while you work... (Neither this one nor the last one affect the final model)

- Light On/Off: Turnd On or Off the scene's lightning

- Grid On/Off: Shows or hides the divisions between polygons

- Center Model: Places the model on it's initial position

- Zoom In: Too hard to describe, right???

- Zoom Out: Blah, blah, yeahhh...

With the Edit menu you can colour or de-colour the whole model...

Play, paint, mess the whole model, when you're finished SAVE and exit, 'cause this program tends to eat the whole processor!!!

4. Converting the RSD into a TMD

We have right now a painted RSD ready to be seen on the screen, but before we do that there's the need to "compile" the file, in the figured sense of the word, so the PlayStation can read it and use it. The TMD is this file, and contains the polygon information, texture placement on the VRAM, colours and also, a big number of 3D models (this last one doesn't matter to us, since the boot logo must have only one 3D model inside)

For this convertion we use the DOS program RSDLINK (already looking for it, aren't you???), which allows us to compile the RSD, besides changing it's size, position, and such other little details...

This creates the TMD we wanted so much!!!

5. Using the TMD

The TMD file can be inserted into a CD image, using The Great And Only Loser's BootEdit, check the links to visit his page!!!

Once you have your ISO, BIN or IMG file from the CD you are fixing, this program will allow you to change the boot logo and the license test, here is a picture:

It's just a matter of choosing the CD image, the TMD file and making your own text (I never choose a license, my images already come with that info, I think..., in fact if the image comes from a commercial game, there's no need to license it!!!)

The text won't always come out the way we planned it, so it's just a matter of trying and trying, until it's left the way we want it...

When we are ready to test the image, we tell it to "Patch CD Image" and say OK to all those little popping windows

6. Testing the TMD

The TMD can be tested in three ways:

- Viewing it with MilkShape3D: If you have this excellent program, you can see the 3D model, but without colours... so it's not the most effective way

- Viewing through a PSX program: If you can code for the PSX you should be able to make a small application just to test the model, in Ceddy's page you can find some necessary source code...

- Running the CD image with ePSXe: If you have ePSXe, run it with the following syntax:

"ePSXe.exe -slowboot" from DOS or with a desktop shortcut

This will show you the PSX bios and the booting, so you can see the model's size and colour the same way it would show on a real PlayStation... any size problem, use RSDLINK to fix it, colour problems use RSDTOOL and for text problems use the BootEdit again

Extra Note: The lightning on the PSX booting comes from the front - left side, so you may want to make your models a little inclined towards this side... Good Luck!!!