Cityscape Reflections

[Payton Westlake]

Cityscape Reflections • Photoshop

Find a Cityscape you would like to use as the reflection map for your TXD.  Save it from the web and open it in Photoshop, or just drag it from your browser straight into Photoshop.  The ideal image will be twice as long as it is high, but any image is workable.

This is mine:

Next reorient your image so it is upside down in Photoshop press:  ALT, E, A, V

The next step will take your straight image and turn it into a miniature planet of itself.
Apply the Polor Coordinate filter:  ALT, T, then select Distort, then Polor Coordinates...

Select "Rectangular to Polar", then click OK

I really want my map to be squared

ALT + CTRL + I, brings up the Image Size dialog

Be sure to uncheck the two check boxes, before you adjust the size, or the aspect ratio will stay locked

When choosing the pixel size for your image ONLY use a power of two, so 128, 256, 512, 1024 are safe numbers you can use

Once your image is squared away...

...You have a reflection map you created from your favorite cityScape.

Usually, the reflection maps in GTA are grayscale images, so:

CTRL + SHIFT + U

For a harder shine you will need to make the edges of black and white sharper.  Use either Contrast, Curves, or Levels

Now you can make your own reflection maps.



-PW

[Caz]

wow awesome, i might try it today

[MxZz.]

Awesome, but the first (circle) pic is the best.

[Ltab-]

Intersting! thanks PW!

[PM]

Genius you are.

[Cookie]

wow pretty cool. Could have done with cropping the picture on the right so the buildings make a complete circle without a gap.

[Daffy]

I guess it's based on the "little planet" tutorial?

http://suckup.deviantart.com/art/little-planet-berlin-wallpaper-67250214

[Flat Face]

I guess it's based on the "little planet" tutorial?

http://suckup.deviantart.com/art/little-planet-berlin-wallpaper-67250214

if you look at reflection maps made by people from yesteryear, they used similar techniques, though that's a similar concept for a different result

[Blaze]

I remember Spoof (I think that's the guy) showing me this one time, I think I did it before using a screenshot of Ocean Drive. Good tutorial though!

[Jason]

Nifty, I imagine this would bring some nice results. Good work Payton.