What's involved? (A design question)

[Techwright]

Asking with genuine curiosity:

 

Let's say there was a design competition for creative 2-D Chest Detail images, with the top quality image to be added to the game.  

 

What happens in process from that point until a player can add the chest detail to his/her character?  I'm speculating that it wouldn't require 3-D modeling and testing, more like just adding the image to a database of images which are then pulled from by a 2-D field on the chest center or over the coat pocket.  Of course, separating the image into two color layout might be a sticky wicket.  And there may be a limit to the number of images the game can store and handle.

 

I realize all of what I just said was likely a severe oversimplification, or just flat out wrong.  Just getting the thoughts out there.

 

So what really happens?  Is there a "simple" way?    And yes, I've an interest in this.  There's been several times I've not found an image that works with a concept, and I'd been wondering if the process was "simple" enough for contributions from the players, without overwhelming the design team, even if it meant single-color graphics.

[CrudeVileTerror]

I believe that if you're willing to implement your idea as a Mod, then it's already possible.  It's been a very long time since I successfully did some texture swapping, but as I recall it was only marginally more difficult for City than it was for games like the Sims.  The Tools board probably has the necessarily information.  https://forums.homecomingservers.com/forum/60-tools-utilities-amp-downloads/

 

As for adding new texture assets; we've already had the Homecoming Team add a couple of Tights patterns.  I haven't poked at chest emblems specifically, but I suspect it would be largely the same.

As to the limits:  The textures are, I think, limited to only 1kb or something else startlingly small.  The overall limit is something which the Homecoming Team would need to set, I think.  There's bound to be an upward limit, but since the game was modified for 64-bit, that limit may now be significantly higher than it used to be.

Or I may be getting my information confused.  In which case, I apologize for potentially disseminating misinformation.

OuroDev might be a good source for the information, though, if no one here is able to provide something more definitive.

[Techwright]

Thanks!  I'll look into that.