Wow, loving the custom themes.
I'm interested in trying this out myself, but I have a few questions I hope someone could answer:

1. Is there anything that you can't edit and customize? (Probably not the main lobby?)
2. When PokerStars updates, does it delete the custom theme or can you still use it?

Thanks.

You can't eidt text size/color/position, and you cant edit the positions of any buttons/images. The lobby can be modded if you had the energy, though I have never bothered to attempt it at Stars. I made one for FTP and was gonna do one for Stars when they introduced their own black lobby (wonder where they got the idea ).

The client updates do not affect any imagaes in the \xthemes\ sub-directories.

Thanks for the quick response.

In what folder do I find the playingcards? I've been searching for a while but just can't seem to find them...
Oh, and is there any FAQ or tutorial made for customizing tables?

I can probably manage without one, but I just figured I'd ask.

Thanks again

C:\Program Files\PokerStars\Gx\chips&deck\deck

The PokerStars Themes Integration Guide has everything you need to know, except for the actual image creation instructions. You won't find any step by step on creating table images. That is a process of trial and error combined with your own personal skills and style.

Ok, had to ask though

Thanks for the link, will deffinetly check it out.
I appreciate your assistance.

I feel a bit stupid for always having to ask for help, but I'm a bit confused at the moment.
I'm having a problem regarding the "mskmgr.exe" application.

I can't seem to get this command to work, what am I doing wrong?
I have both maskmgr.EXE and png2bmp.EXE in a directory called "themetest", which is located on my desktop.
I used the command line to change the directory into "themetest", but I don't know how to proceed from here.

Could someone give me an exact example of how the command should look, if I'm trying to unmask a file called "fg.a.bmp"?

Thanks once again .

EDIT: Almost forgot, I quoted this from the same guide: I've seen custom made cards in this thread, so apparently the guide isn't really up to date?

To unmask
mskmgr.exe fg.a.bmp fg.bmp /r
The unmasked file will be fg.bmp

To mask
mskmgr.exe fg.bmp fg.a.bmp
The masked file wil be fg.a.bmp

I personally have almost never unmasked anything. I have certainly never edited a mask. It is far easier to create your own images from scratch, then use the png2bmp to create the bmp and mask from your clean png file.

If you want to try unmasking a table mask.

After you edit and want to put the mask back, you would use this code.

I used fg2.a.bmp just so I wouldn't overwrite my original test mask.

Making .BAT files of your commands, and running the batch file from the same directory will save you a lot of time over using the command window.


[IMG]I've seen custom made cards in this thread, so apparently the guide isn't really up to date?[/IMG]

The guide is accurate, just incomplete. The decks are overwrote each update by the stars auto-update. You just have to skip the auto-update, to avoid your decks and chips being overwritten. Then update manually and reinstall your mods. I hope they will eventually add a XCards directory and menu so we can install multiple custom decks. Then we could use a different customized simplified deck, on any table we desire, instead of only being able to use one simplified deck per session.

I am currently collecting a lot of free Pokerstars themes (15 so far) and share them on my website. But i'd like to have some more so if you people have some great free themes pls let me know where i can find them..

Current list
Pokerstars bingo theme (16)
Pokerstars clean theme (28)
Pokerstars diablo theme (10)
Pokerstars family guy theme (12)
Pokerstars luck theme (7)
Pokerstars lucky theme (4)
Pokerstars nochance theme (25)
Pokerstars pitchblack theme (30)
Pokerstars retro theme (108)
Pokerstars rounders theme (8)
Pokerstars royalflush theme (8)
Pokerstars savvy theme (10)
Pokerstars slick theme (59)
Pokerstars sober theme (17)
Pokerstars wolf theme (17)

I hope you asked all the people who made them, if they want you to post them on your website. Also, just as a general FYI (for everyone, not just you), you are not allowed to post links to blogs or sites with affiliate advertising.

I knew that, that's why i didn't post a link to my site

Furthermore the themes i added are all free to use. Authors are mentioned and i charge nothing to download them..

Can you live with that?

Of course. I really don't care as a mod, but more as a fellow graphics designer. I just wanted to be sure you had given consideration to the original authors and hopefully asked them in advance.

If you want i can give you the url

Do you have any btw?

No, I have never posted any free themes IIRC.

A lot of these themes are just dumped on a random download server with no copyright notice and no mention of licensing, copying, redistributing, etc. These authors have little room to whine when their work is used in a way they don't like. If you care about such things you really should add a copyright notice and release under a license. Creative commons has a family of licenses that should work for most people who are giving away their work.

Adding the copyright notice and a release license protects your rights and lets your users know what their rights are.

I will put it different (although I completly agree with what you say): are there any more designers who like to put there theme up for download on my website (with copyright notice, name author, website author and authors note mentioned on my site).

If interested PM me.

Back on topic

the interesting part is, if you make money with the site? do you offer rakeback deals there or profit from advertising?

Of course he profit's from the site, that should be obvious. This discussion, and the rakeback discussion do not really belong ITT IMO. Please take any detailed discussion to PM so as to not derail this thread anymore (it's my fault for getting it off-topic to begin with).

Sorry but this is the final part public because I want to make clear the few bucks I earn with that site is invested in hosting. And it is free publicity for the designers..

Back on topic now..

Back on topic:

Mr Quicksilver, your card backs are sexy.

So, if you ever make more than the hosting costs, you will distribute the money to the modders?

Time to stfu.

thx

i thought this might be helpfull (didnt make an installer because im too lazy):

cardbacks look like this:


save these two files (rightclick - save):





and put them to ................\PokerStars\Gx\chips&deck\deck\sim ple to change the backs of your simplified deck in the stars software.

always start pokerstars with the pokerstars.exe (not the pokerstarsupdate.exe) to stop stars from overwriting your cardbacks. when you need an update start with pokerstarsupdate.exe and reinstall the backs.

chips, cards and table from www.tiltbuster.com

quick

hey Mr QuickSilver why did you remove the Maria Deck from the website?

Not removed, just moved so the main shop wasn't too cluttered. Check his gallery for mods not in the main section.