Changing Your Game Icon

[WhiteRose]

Hi everyone! Here's a little tutorial on how to change the icon on your game. This will also affect shortcuts made straight to your Game.exe, if you have an installer that creates a shortcut. Hopefully, after I write this, we'll be seeing a lot fewer orange spiky wheel thingy icons!

Changing Your Game's Icon

What you'll need:

• Resource Hacker, an executable resource editor (Download here: http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/) Don't worry; it's free.
  
• Obviously, the icon file that you want to use to replace yours. Either find one using Google, or, better yet, create your own in GIMP or Photoshop. Please note that your icon must be 48x48 or smaller, or Resource Hacker, which is an older program, will not be able to handle the icon file. As this is the same size as the default RMXP icon, I don't see this as a problem. If you want a larger, higher quality icon for use on operating systems that support them such as Windows 7 or Vista, you'll have to use a different program. I'm not aware of any free programs that work with high-res icon files, but maybe Google will turn something up for you. It is also possible to convert a regular image to an icon, though you'll have to be careful, as sometimes icons created in this method can be low-quality. You can find the necessary program, ToYcon, here: http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/gmm/fwicontools.html. (Thanks, earthnite, for this last bit of info!)
  
• If anyone is looking for an icon editing tool, Blizzard recommends IcoFX.
  Also, if anybody is wondering what icon sizes they should support, he also gives the following advice:
  
• If you intend the game to run on Windows XP only, the following sizes should suffice: 48x48x32, 32x32x32, 24x24x32, 16x16x32, 48x48x8, 32x32x8, 24x24x8, 16x16x8, 48x48x4, 32x32x4, 24x24x4 and 16x16x4
  
• If you intend the game to run on Windows Vista/7 as well, you should additionally include a 256x256x32 icon.
  
• All icon sizes are listed as width-x-height-x-bitrate.
  
  
  
  In this tutorial, I'll be changing the icon of my game, Doodle Quest.
  
  Step 1:
  Download the Resource Hacker zip and extract it to where ever you see fit. I used Documents/Utilities. It should look like this:
  
  Spoiler: ShowHide

  
  
  
  Step 2:
  Start up ResHacker.exe.
  Go to File -> Open, then go to the directory where your game files are located.
  
  Spoiler: ShowHide

  
  
  Choose to open the Game.exe program.
  
  Step 3:
  Wow! Look at all those icons. Which one are we going to change? All of them! Don't worry; it's a lot easier than it looks!
  Expand the folder named Icon Group. (Not the Icon folder, which is usually above it. The icon group folder.)
  In there is only one folder. Expand that, and select the only resource inside. Right click it, and select "Replace Resource."
  
  Spoiler: ShowHide

  
  
  
  Step 4:
  See the button that says "Open File with New Icon?" Click that. Go to wherever you've saved your new icon, and select it. Click the "Replace" button. Congratulations, you've replaced the icon of your game. Now we just have to save the changes.
  
  Step 5:
  Click File -> Save.
  
  Step 6:
  Now we just have to do a little optional clean up work.
  Your game directory should now look something like this:
  
  Spoiler: ShowHide

  
  
  
  ResHacker automatically backed up your .exe for you. Handy, eh? However, we don't really need the back-up provided the original still works. So, run your program using your new Game.exe (with its fancy new icon) and make sure it runs properly (which it should, provided you followed my instructions while using ResHacker.)
  
  
  Spoiler: ShowHide

  
  
  Looking good! Once we're sure it works, you can go ahead and delete the backup, as you probably shouldn't distribute that with your game.
  
  And that's it! Your game now has a splendid new icon! If you have any questions, feel free to post and I'll try my best to answer them for you.
  
  EDIT: Added horizontal rules. (Just for you, G_G. <3)

[lonely_cubone]

Hey, this is really helpful! I didn't know how to do this at all

[G_G]

Nice job! *cough*[hr] tags *uncough* They'll make it look nicer

[Kett Shee]

I was actually looking for something to do this, and then this tutorial happened. =O Well done.

[lonely_cubone]

i found a  program to convert regular files into icon files, its ToYcon (scroll down)

http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/gmm/fwicontools.html

This is extremely helpful too. Rose, you should probably put this in the first post.

I have one question. Does the icon file have to be in the game's folder when you distribute it to someone else, or does it get saved within the game's code?

[G_G]

EDIT: Added horizontal rules. (Just for you, G_G. <3)

<3

[WhiteRose]

No, the icon gets embedded in the game's code, so you don't have to include the icon file.

The problem with using a program like that is that it simply resizes an image multiple times to create the icon file. You see, an .ico file actually contains six or so images, depending on resolution of the original icon. This allow the icon to be presented differently when used in different ways (for example, the title bar of the game as opposed to the game executable's icon.) If you simply resize an image, it will probably be completely indistinguishable on some of the smaller settings, depending on the image you used. While I don't have a problem with people using it, by any means, I wouldn't use it myself, as it would result in a lower quality end product. I would recommend using a pre-made icon, or creating one in GIMP or Photoshop, which both have settings for easy icon creation. Maybe I'm just being nit-picky, though; I'll go ahead and throw the link up there in case anyone needs it. I'll admit there would certainly be times when it would be useful, especially if you're using an easily scalable image.

[Blizzard]

Ah, good old ResHacker. Not only did I use it in CP, we also use that thing at Cateia. xD

BTW, I recommend IcoFX as icon editing tool. It's quite good.
Also, if somebody wonders what icon sizes they should support:

• If you intend the game to run on Windows XP only, the following sizes should suffice: 48x48x32, 32x32x32, 24x24x32, 16x16x32, 48x48x8, 32x32x8, 24x24x8, 16x16x8, 48x48x4, 32x32x4, 24x24x4 and 16x16x4


• If you intend the game to run on Windows Vista/7 as well, you should additionally include a 256x256x32 icon.


• All icon sizes are listed as width-x-height-x-bitrate.

@WhiteRose: If you want, you can include this info in the first post.

[WhiteRose]

Ah, good old ResHacker. Not only did I use it in CP, we also use that thing at Cateia. xD

BTW, I recommend IcoFX as icon editing tool. It's quite good.
Also, if somebody wonders what icon sizes they should support:

• If you intend the game to run on Windows XP only, the following sizes should suffice: 48x48x32, 32x32x32, 24x24x32, 16x16x32, 48x48x8, 32x32x8, 24x24x8, 16x16x8, 48x48x4, 32x32x4, 24x24x4 and 16x16x4


• If you intend the game to run on Windows Vista/7 as well, you should additionally include a 256x256x32 icon.


• All icon sizes are listed as width-x-height-x-bitrate.

@WhiteRose: If you want, you can include this info in the first post.

<3
Edited first post.

[Futendra]

And what about installing the game?

The icon will stay the same if you isntall it?

Or will it become a standard again?

[WhiteRose]

And what about installing the game?

The icon will stay the same if you isntall it?

Or will it become a standard again?

It depends on what method you use to make the installer, but in most cases, it would stay the same.

[Spaceman McConaughey]

I am so confused as to why this wasn't in the tutorial database 6 months sooner.

[Futendra]

And what about installing the game?

The icon will stay the same if you isntall it?

Or will it become a standard again?

It depends on what method you use to make the installer, but in most cases, it would stay the same.

Well, I'm new to the Xp, so maybe PM me some methods?

[Blizzard]

You can try NSIS install creator. But you should first finish a game before bothering about an installation creator.

[Futendra]

You can try NSIS install creator. But you should first finish a game before bothering about an installation creator.

Ye but I tought it was just click click and you had an install file?

Whatever 

[Holyrapid]

That goes for the one in the editor itself. It's not that compact though (or i think)