Converting multiple BLPs (or PNGs) into a single BLP (or PNG)

[Ketho]

In the WoW artwork files, it seems common to see a bunch of BLP files, that actually form a single art file when glued together

• Are there any scripts, or specific tools available to convert them to a single BLP? So we don't have to use Photoshop/Gimp/etc?
• If an executable/script is required, is it possible to do this with Lua, or is this better done in "real" programming languages?
• It would also be great if instead of BLP files, it could work with PNG files instead, since most people would want to convert it to PNG anyway
  
  
• I found this post from Xinhuan, but the reference only exists in the Google Cache now, but it was focusing more about the MPQ's Minimap files in particular
  
  
• WorldMapFrame_Update and CreditsFrame_SetArtTextures seem to have the Lua logic for it, but I don't quite understand it, and it's only for making them appear pasted together ..
• I'm also wondering how Wowhead and MMO-Champion manage to do this

Here is an example:

http://imgur.com/a/e7K3d Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria1.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria2.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria3.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria4.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria5.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria6.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria7.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria8.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria9.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria10.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria11.blp Interface\WorldMap\Pandaria\Pandaria12.blp (10 images per post restriction)

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[Ketho]

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[Seerah]

As far as I know, the game just pieces them together in the correct locations.

[Ketho]

but I want to have them pieced together out of the game :P

[Seerah]

Then you'll have to use Photoshop.

[Haleth]

Perhaps slightly unrelated, but is there a reason why the maps are stored in separate pieces? I can't think of any.

[Rilgamon]

Originally Posted by Haleth Perhaps slightly unrelated, but is there a reason why the maps are stored in separate pieces? I can't think of any.

Webgraphics are sliced to speed up loading time because you can download them at the same time.
Perhaps the same is true for disc access.

[Cybeloras]

My best guess is that because maps are not square (at least I don't think they are), and that all images displayed by WoW must have their dimensions be powers of 2, there is less wasted space when many small images are used rather than one large image.

[Othgar]

I couldn't wait.. I had to assemble it

[Ketho]

Originally Posted by Othgar I couldn't wait.. I had to assemble it Attachment 7015

Thanks for assembling it Othgar, but I'm really looking for a script or tool to automate this ..

It would be of a great help for contributing to this MoP Artwork Changes thread at least

[Othgar]

Originally Posted by Ketho Thanks for assembling it Othgar, but I'm really looking for a script or tool to automate this .. It would be of a great help for contributing to this MoP Artwork Changes thread at least

Yeah I don't know of any scripts or anything that could do this out of game. In this case the images went together in order from top to bottom left to right, so at least in this case the logic for assembling them would be easy but there's no way to know if all the bigger images like this are broken up that way. If they are then no worries if not then it could make a huge mess out of it. It is possible that since wowhead and MMO champion are both news sites with press credentials that they got the complete images straight from blizz. Although they have enough of a staff that it wouldn't be a big deal to have a few people just throwing the images together like I did either.

Also the image I posted was double the size of the actual assembled map.