Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2

339 ratings
Full color Objector and Flair!
By Ryuke [TBM α]
A guide for getting full color Objector and Flair! decals.
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Overview
This method takes advantage of the material layer Valve uses to spice up images you send to them. Valve put in a file that goes over whatever image you send them, and you simply load a replacement with your target image in place of it.Overlay on darkest and brightest imageThis image when fully opaque goes over whatever image you load, making it perfect to bypass the funky colorization scheme.
Step One: Locate your TF2 Install
First go to your main Steam window, and click on Library. Find Team Fortress 2 in your list, and right click it. From the pulldown menu, select Properties.

From here a window pops up, click on the Local Files tab, and then click "Browse Local Files..."
Step Two: The /custom/ folder.
From step one, double click the /tf/ folder, then the /custom/ folder. If it does not exist, create it.
Inside the /custom/ folder you should create a new folder and name it whatever will help you remember that this is for full color flair/objectors.
For example, let's say I name my folder "PEBKAC", once I open it I should be in
Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\custom\PEBKAC
Inside that folder you create the folder named "scripts".
Inside /scripts/ you create the folder named "items"
Inside /items/ you create the folder named "custom_texture_blend_layers"
We're now at
Steam\steamapps\common\Team Fortress 2\tf\custom\PEBKAC\scripts\items\custom_texture_blend_layers

For Objectors
Go to Step Three
For Flair!
Go to Step Four
Step Three: Objectors
Inside the last folder you created, custom_texture_blend_layers you need to save your image as a 128x128 pixel png image with the name "paper_overlay". After you've put it there, start or restart tf2, then start the process of applying your decal to an objector.
You can pick any image, I usually just use my avatar. Click the Next button. If you've done it correctly your image will show up.If your image shows up like mine did, it's time to finish the application.
Step Four: Flair!
Inside the last folder you created, custom_texture_blend_layers you need to save your target image as a 128x128 pixel png image with the name "flair_template_guide". After you've put it there, start or restart tf2, then start the process of applying your decal to the Flair!.

You can pick any image, I usually just use my avatar, but for Flair! it works better if you have a fully white image to load. Click the next button. If you've done it correctly your image will show up.

Adjust the gradient slider until whatever image you picked isn't interfering with the image you put in the flair_template_guide.
If your image shows up like mine did, it's time to finish the application.
149 Comments
Ryuke [TBM α]  [author] 18 Jul @ 7:01pm 
I don't personally use Linux so I couldn't tell you for certain my dude.
Voxel 9 Jul @ 1:11pm 
it isnt working... is it because im on linux?
snippers.exe 27 Jun @ 10:29am 
Thanks for responding. I found out the answer to this a while ago and couldn't find this thread again to delete the comment. Thanks!
Ryuke [TBM α]  [author] 27 Jun @ 10:08am 
Snip, you can only make one at a time, and creating file conflicts helps nobody. You only need to have the full color mod in place when applying the decal tool, then that data is linked with the specific objector you used the decal tool on. To have multiple objectors with different images all you have to do is close tf2 between making each individual one and correctly update the image in your file system before loading tf2 and using another decal tool. Once the data for your objector is stored on Valve's servers you have less use for the image on your hard drive than I think you expect.
Ryuke [TBM α]  [author] 29 May @ 5:38pm 
Yes, tf2 only really scans the /custom/ folder on launch, so close tf2 before you start the guide.
Long Gurbus 25 May @ 1:18pm 
Anyone having issues, close tf2 then delete the entire folder you created then redo the entire process and then relaunch it should work after that. That's how i got it to work, I think keeping tf2 open while you create the folders will cause it to fuck up.
Rundo1f 16 May @ 11:58am 
Thanks pally :JohnnyReb:
Ryuke [TBM α]  [author] 20 Apr @ 11:38am 
Okay, explain which one you're doing and what you've done.
sv3rige 11 Apr @ 4:55am 
didnt work for me, i did all the steps but i just wouldnt load the color in game.
Ryuke [TBM α]  [author] 5 Apr @ 7:29pm 
Cool beans. :approved: